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Writes Munashe Nyuke
The Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) has hailed the rollout of its biometric grower registration system as a major success, with thousands of farmers already onboarded and reaping the benefits of enhanced security, transparency, and accountability within the tobacco value chain.
Launched as part of broader efforts to curb side marketing and contract abuse, the biometric system, now fully functional across all provinces, links each grower’s unique number to their fingerprints and GPS coordinates of their household and farm.
The move comes amid concerns about the rampant misuse of grower identities and side marketing, where farmers either sell contracted tobacco to unauthorized buyers or pass off self-financed crops to contracting firms. In 2021 alone, side marketing cost five tobacco exporters a combined US$57 million, with the broader industry suffering significant contract breaches and revenue losses.
Growers across the country have largely welcomed the biometric registration process, citing enhanced security and fewer cases of identity theft at the contract and auction floors.
“This year, I feel safer bringing my bales to the auction,” said Gladys Mavhunga, a small-scale tobacco farmer in Karoi. “Last season, someone tried to use my grower number, but with the fingerprint system, that will no longer be possible. It is faster, and I know my labour will be rewarded.”
Tendai Moyo, a commercial grower in Rusape, added: “This is a game-changer. Before, there were so many ghost farmers getting inputs or selling tobacco that was not theirs. Now it’s your thumbprint or nothing.”
TIMB has also emphasized the strides made in securing grower information through encryption, strict access controls, and continuous system monitoring.
“We’ve made significant strides in ensuring the security and privacy of grower information through encryption, strict access controls, and continuous monitoring,” said Edson Nhemachena, TIMB Head of Information Communication and Technology.
“However, we recognize the need to evolve. Our current systems, while stable, face limitations in scalability and integration. That is why we are migrating to a more robust ERP system; this will not only streamline operations but also enhance data security and compliance with both national and international standards.”
He added that automating manual processes and enabling real-time integration with industry systems are critical for improving efficiency and delivering better services to growers and stakeholders.
Compliance Administration Officer, Pelagia Marumahoko clarified that the introduction of biometrics has not changed the registration process but has now become a fundamental part of it. “Growers have been cooperative as enrollment continues. Though some remain skeptical, we are actively educating them,” she said.
While reception has been largely positive, challenges remain, particularly with older farmers or those whose fingerprints are worn from years of manual labour. To address this, registration teams have been trained to capture multiple fingerprints as an alternative.
TIMB officials say that the biometric grower management system represents more than just a technological upgrade. It is a cornerstone of TIMB’s vision to transform Zimbabwe’s tobacco sector into a 60-billion-dollar tobacco industry by 2028.
With biometric verification now a requirement at both input distribution and selling points, the tobacco industry is experiencing a cultural shift where identity, ownership, and accountability are being redefined, one fingerprint at a time.
“Farmers will be verified using biometric scanners when collecting inputs and selling their crop. This will prevent multiple contracts under different merchants and reduce default rates” said TIMB Acting CEO Emmanuel Matsvaire.
