TOBACCO CULTIVATION SPEEDS- UP DEFORESTATION IN KIWERE.

The cultivation of tobacco causes deforestation due to the fact that it demand huge amount of fire wood for dying up. Therefore a large area of tree have been cleared hence it resulted to environmental degradation.

Therefore there is the need for the government to find another alternative energy such as coal energy so as to reduce the rate of deforestation which destructive to the environment.Also the farmers should be mobilized to construct the improved dying stove (Majiko sanifu) so as to reduce the amount of firewood to be used.

According to (Naibu Waziri wa viwanda na Masoko)( Bw. Ciyril Chami); In his discussion with the (MP of Igalula Bi Tatu Ntimizi); He said that in order to ensure the farmer conserve their environment and have sustainable cultivation of tobacco the government by using the law of tobacco No.24 of 2001 which require the farmers to show their farm and the area for tree planting in order to ensure the environment are conserved , and the process should be done before the registration to the body of tobacco.
He continued said that in order to ensure the law of tobacco work effectively all the stakeholder of tobacco especially those company of buying tobacco they should be responsible to establish tree nurseries and distribute them to the farmer for every season.
Therefore the use of coal energy could have been reduced the rate of using firewood but still there is the problem of coal utilization and the availability of coal energy to some area where tobacco are cultivated.

By Edith kibiki.
edithakibiki@yahoo.com