The Tobacco Board of Zambia (TBZ) has embarked on a nationwide tobacco grower validation and verification exercise across all production regions.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Corporate Affairs and Communications Manager Lee Haamunji announced that the initiative will commence on 4th February 2026 and continue for two weeks.
He emphasised that the programme is designed to verify registered growers, validate fields, and collect production data for the 2026 Tobacco Marketing Season.
Haamunji explained that the exercise forms part of TBZ’s broader strategy to reinforce regulatory compliance and strengthen industry oversight.
He highlighted that joint validation will be conducted with stakeholders at the field level to ensure transparency and accuracy.
Haamunji underscored that all self-contracted growers will undergo full validation, while contracted growers will be assessed selectively based on risk profiling and regional considerations.
He further clarified that the process will involve physical inspection of fields, plant populations, and tobacco varieties, alongside the collection of crop performance data.
Haamunji stressed that sponsoring merchants, grower associations, and industry stakeholders must ensure their technical and field officers actively participate.
He reiterated that the validation exercise is expected to contribute significantly to the growth and sustainability of the tobacco sector.
Haamunji affirmed that the initiative will ultimately benefit farmers, stakeholders, and the national economy.
He urged all parties involved to treat the exercise as a matter of priority for the industry’s future.
