BY PHESHEYA KUNENE
MANZINI – Eswatini’s agriculture sector is getting a major boost as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and government partners wrapped up a high level validation of the Country Programming Framework 2026 to 2030, a strategic plan backed by about E500 million to transform farming, fight hunger and build climate resilient food systems.
Inside the workshop, stakeholders from government ministries, UN agencies, NGOs and the private sector broke into working groups, dissected priorities and endorsed the roadmap that will guide national agricultural investment for the next five years. The exercise sealed national ownership of the plan, ensuring that policies move from boardrooms to fields where farmers need them most.
Assistant FAO Representative Howard Mbuyisa told delegates that the framework was designed to move beyond paperwork into real impact, aligning funding, technical support and implementation. He said the E500 million package would drive programmes in climate smart agriculture, value chain development, mechanisation and agribusiness innovation so that farmers see tangible results on the ground.
The plan builds on previous FAO interventions that have already supported smallholder farmers with conservation agriculture, irrigation schemes, livestock disease control and data systems for food security monitoring. FAO has also helped the government strengthen early warning systems for drought and pests, improve seed systems and promote nutrition sensitive farming across rural communities, reaching thousands of households through resilience and livelihood projects.
Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture Sydney Simelane declared that the government was ready to work hand in hand with FAO and stakeholders to push the sector forward. He said agriculture remained a backbone of the economy but faced climate shocks and resource constraints, making coordinated action critical. Simelane stressed that Eswatini was now pursuing food sovereignty and export growth, not just food security, and called on stakeholders to contribute practical solutions that would unlock production and markets.
The new framework aligns with FAO’s global strategy, the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework and continental commitments under CAADP, positioning agriculture as a driver of jobs, incomes and rural development. It focuses on enabling agribusiness, strengthening inclusive value chains, promoting nutrition and ensuring sustainable management of natural resources.
With national stakeholders validating the tool and funding already earmarked, the CPF 2026 to 2030 is expected to accelerate the shift towards resilient farming, stronger markets and improved livelihoods, placing emaSwati farmers at the centre of the country’s food future.
