Sun-powered tobacco curing transforms Matabeleland farming, empowers women

A quiet revolution is taking place in Matabeleland’s tobacco fields, where farmers are not only embracing a new cash crop but also adopting a sustainable curing technology that is transforming livelihoods, particularly for women. At Woolendale in Umguza’s Ward 17, first-time tobacco farmer Priscilla Musa Sibanda is among a growing number of small-scale farmers discovering the potential of the golden leaf. Sibanda planted four hectares of tobacco in November last year and says the results have exceeded her expectations.

“It’s amazing. This is our first crop and it is doing so well. Tobacco needs a lot of focus and dedication because of pests and weeds but if you give it the attention it needs, the results are very rewarding,” she said in an interview with Cite.

Sibanda believes tobacco could become a game-changer for communities across Matabeleland where farmers often struggle with erratic rainfall. “This crop requires less water compared to many others and it can grow in almost any soil. I encourage farmers in this region to try it because it has a reliable market,” she said.

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The recent establishment of tobacco auction floors in Matabeleland has also made the crop more attractive to farmers who previously had to travel long distances to sell their produce. But perhaps the biggest shift is happening in the way tobacco is cured. For decades, farmers relied on firewood to dry their tobacco leaves a labor-intensive process that contributed to deforestation and placed a heavy burden on women who often had to search for firewood in nearby forests.

Now a new sun-powered greenhouse curing system is changing that. The technology traps solar heat inside specially designed greenhouses, allowing tobacco to dry naturally without the need for firewood. “Long back we used to cut firewood to cure tobacco but this new technology is a real revolution. The heat inside the greenhouse is just as good as any fire and the tobacco dries beautifully,” she explains.

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