-
Kenya, UN agencies launch initiative to end tobacco farming in the country

The Xinhua reported, Kenya's Ministry of Health in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations on Wednesday launched an initiative to hasten an end to tobacco farming in the country.
The Tobacco-Free Farms project, launched in the western Kenyan county of Migori will support local subsistence farmers' shift to the cultivation of alternatives like legumes that are less harmful to the environment and human health.
Mutahi Kagwe, the cabinet secretary in the Ministry of Health, said that a gradual phasing out of tobacco farming at the smallholder level will boost food security and attainment of health-related sustainable development goals in the country.
According to Kagwe, Kenya has become a trailblazer across Africa in accelerating a switch from tobacco farming to nutritious and eco-friendly alternatives such as beans. He said that despite contributing about 1 percent to the country's gross domestic product (GDP), tobacco had worsened the burden of respiratory diseases in the country, besides harming vital ecosystems such as watersheds. Tobacco farming had also escalated gender inequality, rural poverty, deforestation and soil degradation in the country, prompting the need to shift to alternatives that guarantee better incomes, improved water and soil quality.

The Ministry of Health statistics indicate the country loses more than 6,000 people annually due to tobacco-related diseases while an estimate of 2.7 million adults and 220,000 children consume tobacco products daily.
From August to December 2021, Kenya lost 62 elephants due to drought
Juliet Nabyonga, the acting WHO representative in Kenya, said that reducing tobacco production and consumption in the country will boost health outcomes and transform rural livelihoods.
Nabyonga said that Kenya was among the first countries to ratify the legally binding WHO framework convention on tobacco control in 2004, adding that the country had also enacted progressive legislation and policies to facilitate the adoption of alternative crops by smallholder farmers.
Kenyans mourn river bus accident victims after death toll rises to 24
Carla Mucavi, the FAO representative in Kenya, said the Tobacco-Free Farms initiative aims to strengthen the resilience of local subsistence farmers through the adoption of healthy, nutritious and environmentally sound alternative crops.
Source: xinhua
Tags
You May Also Like
Popular Posts
Caricature
BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
opinion
Report
ads
Newsletter
Subscribe to our mailing list to get the new updates!