Africa tobacco growing increases despite global decline

Global tobacco-leaf production has been decreasing, but the trend is shifting in Africa according to a new World Health Organization (WHO) analysis. While global production dropped by almost 19% between 2012 and 2024, African production rose by nearly 9%. Over the same period, Africa's cigarette import bill more than doubled, increasing from US$ 833 million to US$ 1.77 billion.

Africa now accounts for about 11% of global tobacco-leaf production. This production is highly concentrated, with five key producers - Zimbabwe, Malawi, Tanzania, Mozambique, and Uganda - contributing the majority of the continent's output. East Africa alone contributes nearly 90% of African tobacco-leaf production.

However, this increase in African production comes with significant environmental and health concerns. Tobacco farming degrades soil, exposes workers and families to serious health risks, and contributes to deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions. It also traps farmers in cycles of debt and health risks, including green tobacco sickness and exposure to pesticides and tobacco dust. In some low- and middle-income countries, children from poor households are forced to work in tobacco farming to help support their families.

Critics argue that tobacco is not economically indispensable for most countries, as exports only account for more than 1% of GDP in a few economies like Zimbabwe and Malawi. For most countries, tobacco production and trade contribute little to the economy, while the health, social, and environmental costs remain significant.

The WHO urges countries to move away from economic dependence on tobacco, a product that harms health, farmers, and the environment. The organization calls for support for economically viable alternatives for tobacco workers and growers, protection of the environment and human health from tobacco cultivation harms, and stronger support for countries seeking to diversify away from tobacco production.