Establishing tobacco industry minimum labour standards in Malawi
The development and enforcement of minimum labour standards and due diligence systems is critical for the realization of decent work on tobacco farms. In 2023, the partnership between the ECLT Foundation and the Tobacco Commission (TC) made progress towards this goal by defining the labour principles, practices, and measurable standards that TC expects to be met on all tobacco farms in Malawi.
The industry Agricultural Labour Practice Code (ALP Code) was publicly launched in Lilongwe on 4th October 2023.
The creation of the ALP Code for the tobacco industry in Malawi was a collaborative effort facilitated by Twentyfifty, a management consultancy which works with business enterprises to transform their social and environmental performance and deliver on their commitments to respect human rights. The process included consultations with farmers' associations, leaf dealers, auction floors, and the TC. Twentyfifty obtained and consolidated agricultural labour practices codes and training materials from different leaf dealers in Malawi, culminating in the development of the industry-wide ALP Code.
Pursuant to a Memorandum of Understanding with the TC, the ECLT Foundation provided funding and technical assistance for the development of the industry-wide ALP Code. The ALP Code is derived from fundamental conventions defined by the International Labour Organisation (ILO). It is also aligned with the UN Guiding Principles for Business and Human Rights.
The adoption of the ALP Code was followed by a Training of Trainers (ToT) session organised by the TC and facilitated by Twentyfifty. Thirty-five participants derived from tobacco companies, growers’ associations, auction floors, Agricultural Research and Extension Trust (ARET) and the TC took part in the ToT session.
As the next step, the TC will initiate awareness campaigns among independent growers and gradually incorporate more specific ALP Code requirements into the registration and licensing processes for uncontracted tobacco growers. Concurrently, the TC will sustain collaboration with ECLT to formulate a monitoring and reporting system, ensuring the effective implementation of the ALP Code.
‘The adoption of an industry-wide ALP Code is a significant milestone towards ensuring that all tobacco produced in Malawi is compliant, irrespective of whether it is sourced from contracted farms or independent growers. Looking ahead, the focus of ECLT Foundation is on building robust systems for the implementation, monitoring, tracking, and reporting of progress and impact related to the industry-wide ALP Code.’
Innocent Mugwagwa - Executive Director, ECLT Foundation