By Aldridge Dzvene | Positive Eye News
Tobacco farming in Zimbabwe has become more than just an agricultural activity, it is a gateway to entrepreneurship, resilience, and rural industrialisation. As the 2025 tobacco marketing season rolls forward, the numbers speak volumes. With over 316.8 million kilogrammes of tobacco sold and more than US$1.06 billion in revenue generated, the golden leaf remains the country’s top agricultural export and a powerful engine of economic empowerment.
Yet, behind these national figures are real people whose lives have been transformed. One such farmer is 47-year-old Prince Chipenda from Mvurwi. A former small-scale maize grower, Chipenda shifted to tobacco in 2016 and has since built a diversified livelihood portfolio. With the proceeds from his tobacco sales, he acquired modern farming machinery, including a tractor, plough, and planter, and established a butchery and bar that now employs 11 locals. His story captures a new wave of rural entrepreneurs: farmers who are no longer just producers but employers and drivers of local economies.
The transformative power of tobacco, however, has not come without trials. For A1 farmer Weedman Katanha, the journey began in 2004 and was marked by a devastating setback in 2018 when hailstorms wiped out his crop. But like many Zimbabwean farmers, his story is one of grit and bounce-back. With support from a private contractor, he resumed production on half a hectare, supplementing the input package with his own resources. The result was a bumper crop that restored both his confidence and earning potential.
Women, too, are claiming their space in the sector. Ms Enica Chimhondoro, who farms alongside her children, is not only contributing to the family income but shaping the next generation of agricultural entrepreneurs. Her experience reflects the quiet revolution taking place in many rural households, where tobacco farming is enabling better nutrition, school fees, home improvements, and access to financial services.
What stands out in 2025 is not just the scale of revenue generated but how that income is being reinvested. Farmers are upgrading equipment, starting side businesses, employing neighbours, and insulating their households from poverty. This ripple effect is helping to build stronger rural economies, something traditional cash crops have historically struggled to deliver at such a pace.
Still, the path forward calls for innovation and long-term resilience. Both the government and private sector are pushing for value addition, smarter contract systems, and climate-proofing the sector. As tobacco’s importance in the agricultural GDP remains clear, diversification will be crucial in preparing farmers for future climate shocks and market fluctuations.
The 2025 season shows that tobacco farming is not just producing crops, it is producing capital, dignity, and direction. It is enabling ordinary Zimbabweans to rewrite their economic narratives, from subsistence to sustainability, from vulnerability to visibility. In the hands of a committed farmer, a single hectare of tobacco can become the cornerstone of an entire community’s economic rebirth.
Zimbabwe’s golden leaf, it seems, is no longer just filling the nation’s coffers, it is building a new class of rural champions. And they are not waiting for aid. They are working the land, seizing the moment, and rising leaf by leaf.
