Evaluating results of the program for tobacco leaf diversification in Brazil

• Main Author: Felipe Mendes
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: European Publishing 2018-03-01
• Series: Tobacco Induced Diseases
• Subjects: WCTOH
• Online Access: http://www.journalssystem.com/tid/Evaluating-results-of-the-program-for-tobacco-leaf-diversification-in-Brazil,84012,0,2.html

Background The FC TC took special care to the most fragile link of tobacco production chain: the tobacco leaf producer. Articles 17 and 18 require countries to adopt specific policies to identify more profitable and healthy product diversification mechanisms. Brazil is the third largest producer in the world and the largest exporter of tobacco leaf, with 144,000 producer families distributed in the South region. Of the 590,000 tons of tobacco produced in 2016, 85% was exported, which means that the continuity of this activity depends on the world´s demand, impacted by the accelerated FCTC implementation. The Program was created in 2005 and its objective is to articulate a set of public policies and programs (credit, guaranteed purchase, distribution, etc.) to reduce farmers´ dependence on tobacco leaf production. The Program is operationalized through public grants, for which local organizations and cooperatives submit projects to provide technical assistance to farmers. By 2017, 11 thousand families were covered. Methods Interviews were conducted by Ministry of Agrarian Development in 2011 and 2013 with 250 families assisted by the Program, with questions on family and production profiles, health issues, productivity, income, etc. The research allowed evaluating the impacts of the work developed by the organizations benefited by the public grants. Results >Households not producing tobacco anymore (2011-2013): 6,5% to 10,2% >Income grows: R$ 1.8 thousand to R$ 2.3 thousand >76% of family farmers wish to leave tobacco growing. Why? - 23.2% hard work - 22.7% low financial income - 20.8% health problems - 13.5% use of agrochemicals Conclusions The data shows that the Diversification Program had a positive impact on the family incomes. However, the lack of marketing networks and the lack of articulation with public marketing policies are still an obstacle, as the purchase of tobacco leaf is guaranteed by the tobacco industry.