By Cecilia Chiluba
Tobacco Board of Zambia (TBZ) has unveiled a comprehensive tobacco grower validation and verification exercise across all tobacco production areas, aimed at strengthening the industry’s regulatory framework and ensuring compliance with established guidelines.
The exercise is scheduled to commence on 4th February, 2026, and will run for two weeks.
It seeks to verify registered tobacco growers, validate fields, and collect production data in preparation for the 2026 Tobacco Marketing Season.
According to TBZ, all self-contracted growers will undergo 100 percent validation, while 20 to 50 percent of contracted growers will be validated based on risk profiling and regional operational considerations.
TBZ Corporate Affairs and Communications Manager, Lee Haamunji, said the initiative will be conducted through joint field-level validation involving key industry stakeholders.
“The validation process will involve physical verification of growers’ fields, plant populations, and tobacco types, as well as collection of crop performance data,” Mr. Hamunji stated.
He expressed optimism that the exercise will contribute significantly to the growth and development of Zambia’s tobacco industry, with positive spillovers for farmers, stakeholders, and the broader economy.
“Tobacco Board of Zambia extends a clarion call to sponsoring merchants, tobacco grower associations, and other industry stakeholders to ensure their technical and field officers participate in this important validation exercise,” he added.
