BY: SIBANDZE SIKHONA | JOURNALIST
MANZINI – A mushroom farming project in Ecinisweni has regained momentum after the restoration of its water system, enabling producers to restart operations months after a theft incident disrupted production.
The rebound comes as the Ministry of Agriculture continues to promote mushroom farming as a climate-smart, high-value enterprise that can strengthen household nutrition while creating a steady income stream for farmers. Despite local production efforts, Eswatini’s formal market still shows supply gaps, with NAMBoard listing oyster mushrooms at E70/kg (8–14 February 2026) and availability sometimes inconsistent in formal channels.
Trade patterns also underline why local production matters. Eswatini remains a net importer of fresh mushrooms, with South Africa’s export data showing significant volumes shipped into Eswatini in recent years. (World Integrated Trade Solution) At the same time, available international trade data suggests mushroom-related exports from Eswatini are limited and tend to be small-scale, mainly recorded in inputs like mushroom spawn (planting material) exported to markets such as South Africa and Namibia. (OEC) Historical records also reflect small exports of prepared/preserved mushrooms and truffles from Eswatini to regional markets in the early 2010s. (Trading Economics)
Against that broader context, the Ecinisweni project—run by an estimated 15 small-scale farmers operating from a community centre near Nhlangano—was previously derailed when a water tap connected to their storage tank was stolen, causing the entire stored supply to drain out. The loss of water directly affected yields, as mushrooms require stable, cool and moist growing conditions.
Extension Officer Sitolwetfu Dlamini, who oversees and monitors the initiative, confirmed that the water supply has now been fully restored and preparations for a fresh production cycle are underway.
“The water system has been successfully restored, and the farmers are now ready to restart mushroom production,” Dlamini said. “Water is a critical component in mushroom production, and its absence had a direct impact on the previous batch. With the system back in place, the farmers can once again maintain the environmental conditions required for healthy growth.”
The farmers were trained by the Ministry of Agriculture last year as part of efforts to promote diversified, high-value agricultural activities at community level. Their first production cycle produced encouraging results, demonstrating mushroom farming’s potential as an income-generating venture when production conditions are properly managed.
However, the disruption also highlighted the operational risks facing community-based agribusiness projects—particularly those reliant on shared infrastructure. Dlamini said attention is now shifting from restoration to prevention, with a stronger focus on protecting the project’s resources to avoid repeat incidents.
“Community projects like this play an important role in supporting livelihoods and improving household incomes. Protecting such infrastructure is essential to ensure sustainability and farmer confidence,” he added.
With production set to resume, the Ecinisweni project is expected to re-enter the local market and contribute once again to local agribusiness activity—reflecting both the market potential for mushrooms and the resilience of emerging producers in the face of setbacks.
