By Brenda Kayo:
The Tobacco Commission (TC), in collaboration with Eliminating Child Labour in Tobacco Growing (ECLT) Foundation, has launched an Agricultural Labour Practices (ALP) Code for the tobacco industry.
National Consultant at Eliminating Child Labour in Tobacco Growing Foundation Andrew Namakhoma said the tobacco industry has incorporated the code to promote good practices in tobacco production.
Namakhoma said on Tuesday that the code is aimed at standardising the handling of labour practices in tobacco production in Malawi.
The code is focusing on the elimination of child labour in tobacco cultivation, forced labour and human rights in tobacco growing areas.
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“This code is a good milestone because it is giving guidelines which will help us to monitor and follow up on what is happening in the tobacco industry,” Namakhoma said.
Labour Minister Agnes NyaLonje called for concerted efforts among stakeholders in the tobacco industry in implementing the code.
“We should remain vigilant in safeguarding the integrity of our tobacco and agriculture as a whole by, among other things, promoting the protection of workers’ rights and by eliminating child labour,” NyaLonje said.
On his part, TC spokesperson Telephorus Chigwenembe said players in the tobacco industry would work together to ensure that human rights are protected in the tobacco industry.
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“All stakeholders in the industry have come together in ensuring that child rights and rights of all workers are respected in the tobacco industry,” Chigwenembe said.
The code was developed by Agriculture Labour Practice stakeholders, government ministries, departments and agencies and tobacco industry stakeholders, with TC serving as the coordinator of the process.
