International Tobacco Leader Has Over 85-Year History in Uganda

Global giant British American Tobacco, with an 85-year history in Uganda, aims to continue to play a major role in the country’s development. British American Tobacco Uganda has an over 80% share of the Ugandan cigarette market and buys around 16 million kilos of tobacco per year from local farmers, most of which it exports to over 20 countries in Europe, Asia and America. The Company’s tobacco exports total more than €39.7 million (US$50 million) per year.

Jonathan D’Souza, Managing Director of British American Tobacco Uganda, says, “The tobacco grown in Uganda is among the best in the world and we are focussing on improving its quality even further through helping farmers upgrade both cultivation practices and curing standards.” British American Tobacco has 120 field technicians who work directly with over 20,000 tobacco farmers in four regions of the country.

Helping farmers boost productivity, quality and profits

These technicians provide quality seed developed by British American Tobacco in Brazil and give farmers technical advice on agronomic and environmental best practices, including ways of growing other crops on tobacco fields between seasons to help increase food security and income as well as having sustainable sources of wood and promoting biodiversity.

“Our field technicians play a crucial role for the Company and are committed not only to boosting the quality of Ugandan tobacco but also to helping farmers support themselves better through their work. We serve as a reliable market for our farmers and we pay them promptly, usually within a week of receiving their crop. This year, we have facilitated all our contracted farmers to open bank accounts, as a way of encouraging a savings culture and better financial management, we hope it will build their credit worthiness for their future investment needs,” Jonathan D’Souza explains.

British American Tobacco is seen as a desirable employer in Uganda thanks to its commitment to staff training and development, exposure to the multi-national corporation working environment, as well as competitive employee benefits. As one of the members of the international ‘Elimination of Child Labour in Tobacco’ initiative, which aims to prevent child labour on tobacco farms, British American Tobacco requires its farmers not to use child labour in tobacco production. In Uganda, the initiative sponsored the establishment of Kyema Vocational Training Institute in the Masindi district to provide training in technical skills to students from tobacco-growing areas who might be vulnerable to child labour. The institute was handed over to the government in 2009.

“Because of Uganda’s rich land, wonderful climate and enormous potential, British American Tobacco believes that this country will remain a key source of leaf for the BAT globally,” says Jonathan D’Souza, adding that Uganda has an investment appeal to international investors as there are plenty of opportunities in almost every sector.