Japan Tobacco International (JTI) Leaf Malawi has awarded over 300 farmers’ clubs with ox-carts, bicycles and solar lamps for producing high quality tobacco.
The farmers were awarded under a program called Mlimi Odzitsata which is an incentive program to recognise farmers who have done way and above expected standards. 
The award ceremony took place on Thursday at the company’s offices in Lilongwe.
JTI leaf Malawi Director of Corporate Affairs and Communications Limbani Kakhome said that the company has awarded the farmers because they have managed to produce quality and the volume of Tobacco the company wanted.
” Today we are giving hand held Ox-carts to reduce burden of growing tobacco from farm to homes, it’s also one way to make sure that farmers are not overburdened with labour challenges.
“The bicycles will assist leaders at community level when it comes to mobility within communities in terms of supervising each other while the solar lamps will help farmers to move away from Paraffin or candles and will also help children in the households to study even in the evening hours,” he explained
One of the farmers thanked JTI for the awards. Kachitenji said during 2019 Tobacco Marketing season he sold Tobacco worth K5 million.
“This money has helped me to pay tuition fees for my children and l am therefore encouraging my fellow farmers to follow proper ways of farming which they assisted from agriculture advisers,” he said.
