TOBACCO production in Matabeleland North and South has reached an exciting new milestone, marking a historic shift in Zimbabwe’s agricultural landscape.
This season, 325 growers have planted 370 hectares of naturally cured virginia (NCV) tobacco, a dramatic rise from last season’s 122 growers who planted 84 hectares. This represents a 166% increase in growers and a 340% increase in hectares, signalling growing confidence and momentum in a region traditionally considered outside Zimbabwe’s tobacco belt.
The NCV journey in Matabeleland began modestly during the 2023-24 season, a pilot project involving just 17 growers doing 10 hectares. In only three seasons, the initiative has evolved into a viable and scalable production model. The current season marks the third consecutive year of NCV tobacco production in Zimbabwe, underlining steady adoption and trust in the crop. The progress is more than a statistical achievement. It is a story of families empowered, communities strengthened and a province stepping into new economic potential.
NCV tobacco in the region is grown under contract with Atlas Agri, a Zimbabwean-owned tobacco contracting company. Traditionally, tobacco production has been concentrated in Manicaland and Mashonaland East, West and Central. The expansion into non-traditional areas such as Matabeleland reflects a deliberate commitment to decentralisation and devolution, giving practical expression to the vision of “leaving no one and no place behind.”
The Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) remains committed to championing inclusive rural transformation. Atlas Agri’s NCV tobacco model has proven to be a powerful instrument in achieving this goal. The crop offers an alternative and reliable source of income, particularly well-suited to dry regions where conventional crops struggle.
NCV tobacco is not only smart agriculture, but climate-smart agriculture. Unlike flue-cured virginia tobacco, NCV requires no firewood or coal, significantly reducing deforestation, carbon emissions and production costs. The crop is cured using natural sunlight and has the quality and characteristics required by the market. It is climate-resilient, labour-light and marketable, making it especially viable for smallholder farmers.
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As global markets increasingly demand sustainably produced tobacco, buyers are paying premiums for crops with low environmental footprints. NCV tobacco answers this global call, positioning Zimbabwe as a responsible and forward-looking producer. This is sustainability paired with economic viability.
Further strengthening the value chain, the region boasts a local tobacco sales floor, established through the collaboration of TIMB and Atlas Agri. This development eliminates the need for long-distance travel, reduces marketing costs and improves market access for growers.
Recognising the importance of water access in seedbed production, TIMB has also invested in community infrastructure as part of its corporate social responsibility initiatives. Three existing boreholes in major grower clusters have been recapacitated, solarised and fitted with 5 000-litre water tanks to support quality tobacco seedbed production.
By unlocking opportunities in previously underserved regions, TIMB and Atlas Agri are redefining agriculture as more than a livelihood. It is becoming a vehicle for rural transformation, resilience and shared prosperity. Matabeleland’s NCV tobacco story stands as a powerful example of innovation, inclusion and the practical realisation of the vision to leave no one and no place behind.