Africa’s Tobacco Production Rises Despite Global Decline – WHO

A new report by the World Health Organisation (WHO) has revealed that Africa’s tobacco-leaf production increased by almost nine per cent between 2012 and 2024, even as global production fell by nearly 19 per cent.

Disclosing this on X on Monday, WHO said the analysis also showed that Africa’s cigarette import bill more than doubled during the period, rising from $833 million to $1.77 billion.

According to WHO, the trend means African countries are producing and exporting more raw tobacco while spending significantly more on imported manufactured cigarettes.

“This is not just a tobacco-control issue. It is a health, trade, development and environmental issue,” said Dr Vinayak Prasad, Head of the Tobacco Free Initiative at WHO.

Prasad said tobacco farming exposes workers and their families to serious health risks, damages the environment and could trap farmers in cycles of debt.

“At the same time, African economies are spending more on imported cigarettes that fuel addiction, disease and premature death,” he added.

The analysis showed that Africa accounted for about 11 per cent of global tobacco-leaf production in 2024, producing more than 639,000 tonnes.

WHO noted that tobacco production on the continent is concentrated in five countries including Zimbabwe, Malawi, Tanzania, Mozambique and Uganda, with East Africa accounting for nearly 90 per cent of Africa’s total tobacco-leaf output.

It added that tobacco cultivation also consumes land, water and other natural resources that could otherwise support food production and sustainable livelihoods.

The global health body further linked tobacco farming to soil degradation, pesticide exposure, deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions from the curing process. It said farmers also face health risks including green tobacco sickness, caused by nicotine absorbed through the skin while handling wet tobacco leaves, as well as exposure to pesticides and tobacco dust.

WHO further raised concerns about child labour, noting that children from poor households in some low- and middle-income countries miss school to work on tobacco farms and supplement family income.

The report challenged the argument that tobacco is economically indispensable to most African countries, noting that tobacco-leaf exports account for more than one per cent of GDP in only a few economies, including Malawi and Zimbabwe.

“For most countries, the economic contribution of tobacco production and trade is limited, while the health, social and environmental costs remain substantial,” WHO said.

Prasad called for countries to diversify their economies away from tobacco and support alternative livelihoods for farmers and workers.

“Countries need support to move away from economic dependence on a product that harms health, farmers and the environment. The data show why trade and development policies must be aligned with public health and sustainable development goals,” he said.

WHO urged governments to strengthen support for countries seeking to diversify away from tobacco production, protect farming communities, strengthen tobacco-control policies and reduce the economic burden associated with tobacco use and trade.

It further stated that Articles 17 and 18 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control encourage countries to promote economically viable alternatives for tobacco workers and growers while protecting human health and the environment from the harms of tobacco cultivation.