Amid the global threats of climate change, dwindling tobacco sales, and generational labor gaps in the sector, the International Tobacco Growers' Association is urging every tobacco-growing country to aim to produce sustainable Mercedes Vázquez, chief executive officer of ITGA, told Manila Bulletin that sustainability in the industry is not reliant on the amount of tobacco a country can produce, which can easily be doubled annually depending on the growing country's capabilities.
She noted that tobacco regulatory bodies are putting a lot of pressure in the sustainability aspect of the industry. However, aside from regulatory purposes, Vázquez emphasized that"we should naturally aim to produce sustainable tobacco." Sustainable tobacco entails the whole of tobacco production from beginning until the end product. Vázquez highlighted youth agriculture practices, ample education for farmers on good practices, and avoiding child labor.
"The only thing that they are not considering is what is the possibility for the tobacco growing countries to replace tobacco with food crops, and in most cases it is not possible. You know, growers cannot just jump from growing tobacco because tobacco in many places is the main cash crop,” she said.
Vázquez mentioned Article 17 on alternative crops within the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control , but she lamented that the international organization"have done nothing to help governments, help growers take on other crops rather than tobacco." Vázquez said it's not about bringing more women in the industry since a high percentage of women are involved in the tobacco production from beginning to end, but recognizing their work in the tobacco process, which they have to balance with their duties in the household.