A farmer examines healthy green crops in a vibrant agricultural field, highlighting sustainable farming practices.
Zimbabwe closed its 2025 tobacco season with a record output of 352.7 million kilograms worth $1.2 billion, a 53% increase from last year. This agricultural boom, however, hides a looming threat as experts warn that these gains are highly vulnerable to climate change. The industry, dominated by smallholder farmers lacking irrigation systems, remains vulnerable to erratic weather as seen with last year’s El Niño-induced drought that caused a significant output drop. The tobacco curing process further exacerbates the problem by driving deforestation, which intensifies water scarcity. To future-proof Zimbabwe’s tobacco industry, calls are growing for large-scale intervention, particularly in dams, irrigation, and climate-smart farming. Without decisive action, Zimbabwe’s tobacco boom may prove unsustainable.
African Business