Flue Cured Virginia Tobacco Growing and Sustainable Livelihoods

Commercial tobacco growing has been carried out in Uganda since 1920 when it was introduced by British American Tobacco (BAT). In Uganda, tobacco has remained a strategic crop as it provides employment, foreign currency and also improves the livelihoods of the farmers and the nation at large. Three main types of tobacco grown in Uganda are Virginia (flue-cured), burley (air-cured) and dark air cured tobacco. Of these, flue-cured is generally produced in the better rainfall areas in natural regions especially in Northern Uganda. In Uganda, there are three groups of farmers involved in Virginia (flue-cured) tobacco production namely: large scale commercial who are very few, small-scale commercial and smallholder (communal and resettlement) farmers who are by far the majority. This study was based on two main concepts that is Flue Cured Virginia Tobacco growing and sustainable livelihoods. Flue-cured tobacco is a type of cigarette tobacco grown in Northern part of Uganda. It accounts for more than 40% of Uganda tobacco production.