Not only are these objectives met, but the partnership clearly delivers tangible benefits to the farmers who, with an increased income, are able to improve their standard of living.

In this partnership, the commitment of LLTC is to:

• Provide management supervision
• Purchase and distribute inputs
• Provide technical extension training
• Monitor crop production and the curing process
• Facilitate Farmer access to financial loan for inputs
• Guarantee the loans when required.

• Each smallholding project comprises of 1,600 farmers from local villages.
• There are eight schemes comprising of 200 farmers each.
• Growers are organised into clubs of 20 members each.
• Growers produce one hectare of Flue-Cured tobacco and one hectare of maize each.
• Attendance at the extension-training programme is compulsory.
• Farmers cooperate in labour-intensive production tasks.
• Farmers follow prescribed curing/ handling methods.
• The crop is marketed within clubs.

• Most farmer groups have been empowered and gained independence to organise and fend for themselves.
• Some growers and schemes can now access independent financial support from banks.
• Thanks to the presence of tobacco buying sheds that LLTC built in critical areas, the cost of transport of tobacco to the market has been reduced and the farmers' involvement in the marketing process has increased.
• Flue-cure tobacco farmers are self-sufficient in terms of wood for curing.
• All farmers who work well have made substantial profits every year to improve their livelihoods and that of their families.
• Farmers have gained self reliance through re-investment into farming.
• Wealth within the communities has increased.
• Farmers acquired new cropping and curing techniques.
• All growers engaged in the programme are required to grow an equal surface of maize as of tobacco and inputs are provided and paid through tobacco sales.