The World Health Organization (WHO) unveiled its latest publication, World No Tobacco Day 2023: Grow Food, Not Tobacco, on Friday. The report presents alarming data that sheds light on the global issue of hunger while countries prioritize tobacco cultivation over food production. Tobacco consumption is accountable for 8 million deaths annually, yet governments worldwide continue to allocate substantial funds to support tobacco farming.
Disturbingly, a staggering 349 million individuals across 79 countries are currently grappling with acute food insecurity. Among these countries, many are classified as low and middle-income, including over 30 nations within the African continent. Instead of utilizing their fertile lands to grow nutritious crops, these countries allocate significant areas for tobacco cultivation.
The repercussions of tobacco farming extend beyond health concerns, resulting in negative economic, environmental, and social impacts for tobacco-growing nations. In numerous cases, the foreign exchange earned from tobacco exports is used to import essential food supplies. Furthermore, the cultivation of tobacco leads to adverse health effects among farmers and agricultural workers, as well as irreversible environmental degradation, including the depletion of water sources, deforestation, and the loss of various plant and animal species.
Carlo Juancho FuntanillaFrontend Developer, WordPress, Shopify
Contributing Editor
AMA ACLC San Pablo
