Chieftness Mwasemphangwe of the Chewa people in Lundazi district has observed a lot of tobacco farmers lack technical skills and financing.
The traditional leader says that poor tobacco marketing system is another challenge which farmers are facing.
Speaking during a tobacco farmers meeting in her area, Chiefteness Mwasemphangwe observed that a lot of farmers in her area have remained poor due to such challenges.
She observed that there is need for farmers to have a strong association that can be representing them fairly and honestly.
Chiefteness Mwasemphangwe also noted that it is unfair for small scale tobacco farmers to be forced to take tobacco to Lusaka for sale because of lack of market.
And Eastern Fodya Association of Zambia, EFAZ chairperson, Franklin Mwale, assured the chiefteness that farmers shall be trained so that they make profits out of the tobacco they grow.
Mr. Mwale also advised farmers to grade their tobacco well in order to fetch better prices at the floors.
Meanwhile, in Katete, TBZ district tobacco inspector, Nathan Phiri, advised farmers to replace the trees they cut for curing tobacco by planting new ones.