A farmer attending to his tobacco crop. [Photo/ tobaccotobamboo.org]

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The government has began polishing a Sh20 billion plan whose implementation could see tobacco growing stopped by 2025.The money will be spent in funding alternative agricultural activities.It is mainly being pushed by Non-Governmental Organisations against tobacco growing which are demanding that the central government allocates Sh10 billion from tobacco tax levies while counties where tobacco is grown raise the balance.If successfully implemented, cigarette manufacturing companies British American Tobacco and Mastermind Kenya will have to import cured tobacco leaf for processing.The recommendations were presented during a forum convened by the Institute for Natural Resources and Technology Studies (INRS) in Muranga county recently.Present during the forum were institutions which, are vehemently against tobacco growing because of its economic and health risks.“There is nothing new we are recommending,” Emma Wanyonyi, a public and capacity building and programme officer at the International Institute for Legislative Affairs said.“The only variation is the size of the budget which was Sh8 billion then and implementation authorities since we did not have a devolved system of governance. We are now aware that the budget is bigger and we have to accommodatecounty governments that by law are custodians of agricultural policies on the ground,” she added.She said the budget will target over 20,000 small holder farmers depending on tobacco growing to make a living.“It is incumbent upon county governments to lead from the front and implement the recommendations,” Ms Wanyonyi added.“We have written to the county governments to persuade them that they can better battle poverty levels through other agricultural ventures than growing tobacco.”Kenya's tobacco main growing regions include South Nyanza- Migori, Kuria, Suba and Homa Bay. In Western Kenya, it is grown in Bungoma, Busia, Teso and Mount Elgon while in Central it is cultivated in Kirinyaga, Muranga and Thika.The counties of Meru, Kitui and Machakos also grow it in Eastern region.