November 2021 – On this Thursday afternoon, November 11, the program of the Awareness Cycle on farmers’ health and safety, and child and adolescent protection was broadcast live by SindiTabaco YouTube channel (youtube.com/Sinditabaco). This program was is an integral part of a special edition by the Awareness Cycle, which, in the current year, due to health safety issues stemming from the Covid-19 pandemic, was conducted in virtual format.

The program, conducted by journalist Francine Rabuske, relied on the participation of Dr Ana Paula Motta Costa, lawyer, sociologist and professor at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (Ufrgs); the president of the Interstate Tobacco Industry Union (SindiTabaco), Iro Schünke; and the president of the Tobacco Growers’ Association of Brazil (Afubra), Benício Albano Werner. Besides a lengthy chat on the protection of children and adolescents, there was a video display, ‘The world of Dr. Niko Tino’, with recommendations on health and safety issues.

Iro Schünke commented that the quality of life of the farmers is important for all of us, even because sustainable tobacco production in South Brazil has a lot to do with the wellbeing of the farmers and their families. He commented that the sector’s recommendations, like the use of PPEs and harvest clothing, are of fundamental importance for the protection of the health of the people who live and work on the farm. The chief executive officer also recalled that Brazil is the second largest producer and top exporter of tobacco, and this has to do with the farmers, who have adhered to best practices linked to sustainability principles. 

On the subject of child and adolescent protection, Iro Schünke stressed that ideally there is need for basic education at home, in the company of the parents, and, in the sequence, improvement to knowledge acquired at school. “The first lessons should come from the family, for example, the question of respect, discipline and honesty, and the entire development provided by the school is also very important”, he said. “When we started to deal with this problem, 20 years ago, the motto was already ‘children belong in school’”, he added.

Benício Werner, referring to such actions as environment preservation, child protection and farmer’s health, explained that the Life Is Green Project was the right track for all sustainability-oriented messages to reach the families. According to him, the farmers are aware of the need to comply with the guidelines of the sector  and this is important because the tobacco market is increasingly keeping a close watch on social and environmental issues.

In the sequence, Dr. Ana Paula Motta Costa clarified doubts about the child labor concept and why the Law prevents under 18-year-old people to work on tobacco farming. According to her, there is a fine line between child labor and doing chores at home. “Child labor is when the work of a child replaces the work of adults”, she clarified. Upon dwelling on the legislation, she said that the activity of tobacco farming is on the list of the worst forms of work and, therefore, it is forbidden for under 18-year old persons. “There are myths, and one of them is that you learn how to work by working”, she said recalling that those who have more time to study and prepare for their future, usually get better salaries as adults. “If it comes to working as adults, there is need to get prepared while still young”, she emphasized.

GROWING UP RIGHT 

According to Iro Schünke, offering opportunities to adolescents was the motto that led to the creation of the Growing Up Right Institute. “In 2014, we started to consider what we could offer to adolescents and we created the Growing Up Right Institute, with the Rural Professional Learning Program and, after six years we can see the results achieved”, he said. “In the year-long course, one can detect huge differences between the time the adolescents join the course and finish it, with much expanded horizons”, he concluded

If you missed the live, WATCH IT HERE

PARTICIPATION 

The live of this Thursday had 4,700 visualizations during the broadcast. The Awareness  Cycle is organized by the SindiTabaco, associate companies and Afubra.  

MSLGROUP Andreoli
Arthur Ianhez – arthur.ianhez@mslgroup.com – (11) 3169-9300 / (11) 97375-2413
Eliana Stülp Kroth – eliana.stulp@mslgroup.com – (51) 3713-1777 / (51) 9708-5539
Thais Thomaz – thais.thomaz@mslgroup.com – (11) 3169-9373
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