A collaborative approach to change: See how industry partnerships are creating safer, fairer, and more sustainable working conditions for Turkish tobacco farmers.
Sometimes the biggest changes happen when people work together. In Turkey, we're part of a groundbreaking collaboration between tobacco manufacturers and leaf merchants that's setting new standards for worker safety, human rights, and sustainable farming practices.
It started with a question: how can we make tobacco farming better for everyone involved? In 2021, a Leaf Supply Chain Impact Assessment (SCIA) was carried out by twentyfifty. Commissioned by six leaf merchants under the Aegean Tobacco Exporters' Association (ATEA) , the findings helped us create targeted action plans that are now driving real change.
Three specialized ATEA working groups are tackling the most pressing issues:
Occupational health and safety
Child labor prevention
Working conditions
The Occupational Health and Safety group has been making real strides. They've set up 40 waste collection units in the Southern Aegean region to manage empty crop protection agent containers, launched pioneering research into Green Tobacco Sickness, and developed new protective equipment that's both more comfortable and more durable. They've also distributed 1,800 padlocks and warning signs to ensure safe storage practices. Each step brings us closer to our goal of safer, more sustainable farming.
Success in this initiative relies on strong collaboration. We're working closely with local authorities, Crop Protection Agent companies, and community leaders to ensure our efforts have lasting impact. Together with these stakeholders, we're creating solutions that work for everyone involved.
We're breaking new ground with the first-ever scientific study of risk in oriental tobacco production. Working with ARGEFAR, Ege University's research and medicine center, we're analyzing worker health data to understand better and prevent this occupational hazard. Results are expected in 2024.
Beyond safety, we're making life better for farmers through practical initiatives. We launched the Farmer Advantage Card, giving 47,000 contracted growers access to discounts on essential items, created clear guidelines for working hours, conditions, and wages and developed comprehensive policies to prevent child labor.
This collaborative approach is already showing results, but we're not stopping here. Future projects include expanding waste management initiatives, implementing findings from the research, publishing industry-wide 10-year development plans and continuing to refine and improve working conditions.
Because when we work together, positive change happens faster. That's good for farmers, good for communities, and good for the future of sustainable tobacco farming in Turkey.