To uplift tobacco growers' livelihoods and fully maximize the tobacco industry in northern Mindanao, the Department of Agriculture, with support from the National Tobacco Administration, has laid out a five-year roadmap for the sector.

"We have come up with this significant event to tackle the strategic and national initiatives anticipating the expansion of the production of native tobacco in the southern part of the country," DA Undersecretary Deogracias Victor Savellano said on Friday.

The five-year roadmap is designed for NTA’s Sustainable Tobacco Enhancement Program, which focuses on developing the tobacco industry and enhancing agricultural and rural enterprise productivity using farm clustering and block farming as the main strategies for creating more jobs and increasing farmers' income.

Savellano, who also serves as the NTA Governing Board’s concurrent ex-officio chair, said the development of domestic tobacco crops can have potential for export, which can then boost national income and bolster farmers' livelihoods.

In the five-year plan, the Agriculture-attached agency aims to carry out initiatives including the establishment of irrigation, the provision of machinery, market assistance and training for tobacco growers.

According to the NTA, native tobacco, usually purchased by cigar and dark cigarette manufacturers, is cultivated in Zamboanga del Sur, Bukidnon, Misamis Oriental, North Cotabato and Maguindanao.