By: Sibusisiwe Ndzimandze

MBABANE – The Ministry of Agriculture today reaffirmed government’s commitment to food security with the announcement of a E59.2 million allocation towards the Input Subsidy and Tractor Hire Programme for the 2025/26 farming season. Administered by the National Maize Corporation (NMC), the programme is expected to benefit about 8,130 vulnerable farmers across Eswatini.

Support for Farmers in Challenging Times

Speaking at the announcement, Minister of Agriculture Honorable. Mandla Tshawuka emphasized that the subsidy remains a cornerstone of national food security, ensuring that vulnerable households can access affordable staple crops such as maize, beans, and sorghum.

Last season, the programme provided critical relief as farmers faced multiple challenges including an intense heatwave, hailstorms, and seed shortages. Despite these setbacks, the subsidy enabled more than 6,000 farmers to remain productive and avoid food insecurity.

Last Season at a Glance (2024/25)

• Maize package: Total cost E11,400 → Government paid E5,700, Farmer paid E5,700
  
• Beans package: Initially budgeted at E9,200, later adjusted to E11,400 due to rising prices (Government covered the extra E2,200)
  
• Sorghum package: Total cost E6,000 → Government paid E3,000, Farmer paid E3,000
  
• Tractor hire: Farmers paid E400 per hour (69%), Government contributed E180 per hour (31%)
  
• Beneficiaries: 6,079 farmers supported nationwide.
  

Subsidised Input Packages for 2025/26

For the new season, government will continue sharing the cost of inputs with farmers:

• Maize package: Total cost E12,000 → Farmer pays E6,000, Government pays E6,000
  
• Beans package: Total cost E12,000 → Farmer pays E6,000, Government pays E6,000
  
• Sorghum package: Total cost E6,400 → Farmer pays E3,200, Government pays E3,200
  

The tractor hire scheme will also continue at the subsidised rate, with farmers paying E400 per hour while government contributes E180 per hour. If the budget is exhausted, farmers will revert to the full cost of E580 per hour.

Stronger Focus on Vulnerable Farmers

Following public concerns that the programme previously benefitted non-vulnerable groups, new eligibility criteria have been introduced. These include:

• Only one beneficiary per nuclear family.
  
• Farmers with monthly incomes above E12,000 are excluded.
  
• Beneficiaries must present soil test results (not older than 3 years).
  
• Farmers will graduate after 3 years in the programme, allowing new entrants to benefit.
  
• Farmers with as little as 0.5 hectares are now eligible to participate.
  

Additionally, beneficiaries are encouraged to register with Extension Officers before making payments, with the Ministry of Agriculture working towards digitising the process to improve access.

Payment Period & Channels

Payments for input packages will open on 1 September 2025 and close on 30 September 2025, or earlier if the budget is exhausted. Farmers can pay through Eswatini Bank, MTN MoMo, and Eswatini Mobile’s e-Mali platforms.

Investing in Farmers, Investing in Eswatini’s Future

The Minister urged farmers to make timely payments to ensure early ploughing and planting, with the national target being to conclude planting by December 2025.

“We wish all Emaswati a productive ploughing season and a bumper harvest. May the Almighty God bless our efforts and multiply our results a thousand fold,”  Minister Honorable.Tshawuka.

With this renewed investment, government signals its determination to strengthen household resilience, ensure food security, and empower farmers as a backbone of Eswatini’s economy.