WHO, world health organisation has given the slogan 'Grow Food, Not Tobacco' on the occasion of 'World No Tobacco Day', whi...
WHO, world health organisation has given the slogan 'Grow Food, Not Tobacco' on the occasion of 'World No Tobacco Day', which is on May 31st. It is no secret that one can do without tobacco, but not without food.
It highlights on the shortage of accessible food in certain constrained regions of the world, and how growing food is going to help, rather than growing tobacco that is detrimental for the society at large.
WHO mentions,
The world is confronted with a global food crisis fueled by conflict, climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, tobacco is grown in over 124 countries, taking up millions of hectares of fertile land that could be used to grow food, address food security and nutrition challenges and help feed families. Tobacco growing also has serious health impacts on tobacco farmers due to heavy use of pesticides and high absorption of nicotine through the skin.
Further continues,
Furthermore, tobacco farmers often find themselves trapped in a vicious cycle of debt as a result of unfair contractual agreements with the tobacco industry and face difficulties in shifting away from tobacco. Fortunately, there are several examples of successful transitions where tobacco farmers have switched to growing high-iron beans, cashew, corn and green vegetables instead. In order to achieve this globally, it is important to adopt an ecosystem approach and identify economically sustainable alternatives to tobacco growing that will not only enable farmers to earn as much as, if not more than, what they earn from tobacco, and at the same time achieve better health and a better environment for themselves and their land and forests.
Sustainable practices in agriculture is essential for a better future. Organic cultivation methods used traditionally worldwide not only addressed it in the generations before the industrial revolution, but they were perfectly sustainable in all aspects. The farmers were self reliant and hence, prosperous. A prosperous farmer always grew better quality of food.
On this occasion of World No Tobacco day, lets pledge to support an organic farmer for the well-being of the society at large.
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