British American Tobacco giant disputed claims made by UK law firm that it profits from child and forced labor on tenant farms in Malawi. It follows a pre-action letter sent on behalf of 2000 tenant farmers.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/F. Mponda
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A tobacco company defended its policies preventing child labor on Friday, after claims that its farmers were forced to use their children to work on farms in Malawi.
In a statement, British American Tobacco (BAT), the accused company, said it took the issue of child labor "extremely seriously." The company added that it "strongly agrees that children must never be exploited, exposed to danger or denied an education."
Simon Cleverly, BAT spokesperson, added that BAT business standards do not condone any type of forced labor and seek to ensure the welfare of children at all times.
Leigh Day, which advocates for some 2000 Malawian tobacco tenant farmers, argues that the amount paid to tenant growers is too low for them to employ additional farmers.
Instead, growers are left with no choice but to make their children work so enough leaves can be harvested to earn enough and meet contracts with tobacco leaf buyers.
Last season, many tobacco farmers earned on average no more than £100 - 200 (€116-235, $130-259) for the work of a family of five for 10 months.
Cuba's tobacco farmers try to shake off state shackles
Hand-rolled tobacco is one of Cuba’s most important export products and mainly in the hands of the state. The valley of Vinales, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is home to the most famous tobacco farmers.
Image: DW/S. Derks
Unique landscape
The Vinales Valley with its steep, lime-stoned hills, known as mogotes, was added to the World Heritage List by UNESCO in 1999. It's often referred to as a "living cultural landscape" due to the traditional ways in which tobacco is cultivated in this unique region.
Image: DW/S. Derks
Plowing ahead
The land is usually plowed with the help of oxen. Farmers rely on these traditional farming techniques as they contribute to the quality of the soil and the tobacco.
Image: DW/S. Derks
State of play
In Cuba's communist system, farmers are part of cooperatives. They are obliged to sell 90% of the tobacco production to the cooperative for a state-determined, non-negotiable price. For their other products, they have different quota that are also determined by the state.
Image: DW/S. Derks
Testing the product
Some 10% of the tobacco production is used by farmers for their own consumption or to sell privately from their homes.
Image: DW/S. Derks
Doubling up as mechanics
The cooperatives share materials such as one tractor — which is usually broken — and a truck to pick up the products. In addition they provide credits and sell fertilizers and other tools for agricultural production.
Image: DW/S. Derks
State ownership
The farmers' land always belongs to the state. People might have "ownership" if the land was handed over during the Agrarian Reform in the first years after the Revolution in 1959. They can also lease the ground from the state. If they do not work the land, it will be taken away from them.
Image: DW/S. Derks
Running the show
State official Justo Luis Gravera Martinez is the inspector for the cooperative Frank País in Viñales. He works exclusively with this cooperative and checks efficiency, production and the progress of the farmers.
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Hoping for the right price
The quota guarantees the farmers a certain share on the sale of tobacco leaves. However, the state sets the rate which is usually low. The price is non-negotiable and depends on the quality of the tobacco leaves. The farmers do not know beforehand how much they'll be paid.
Image: DW/S. Derks
Harvesting the crop
From the cooperatives the leaves are transported to the state-run tobacco factories where the leaves are selected and divided according to color, quality and size. Women outnumber men as employees. Income depends on how many kilos of tobacco leaves are processed per day and ranges between $15 (€13) and $48 (€43) per month, plus extra rice and beans.
Image: DW/S. Derks
Back to the roots
The leaves' ribs are removed and sold back cheaply to the farmers, who use it as a form of compost. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Cuba sank into a deep economic crisis. The embargo imposed by the US squeezed Cuba's imports and as a consequence farmers learned to farm organically and focused on sustainability.
Image: DW/S. Derks
Working on sustainability
The Cuban government has introduced several measures to promote organic farming, for instance by placing an emphasis on recycling material. In 2016, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) said Cuba was the most sustainable country in the world.
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Smoke and mirrors
The carefully selected and hand-made cigars are sold at state-owned shops. Prices are so high that only foreigners can afford to buy them. Tobacco accounts for 19% of all income from exported products.
Image: DW/S. Derks
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BAT acquires tobacco from between 20,000 to 35,000 farms in Malawi.