Week Coverage: 17–23 August 2026
GRAIN PLANTING SEASON OPENS: FARMERS URGED TO REGISTER FOR INPUT SUPPORT
The 2026/27 grain planting season leads Eswatini’s agricultural agenda this week, putting the focus firmly back on the fields, and on whether farmers can turn government support into higher domestic production.
Minister of Agriculture Mandla Tshawuka has officially launched the season, with the programme opening on Wednesday, 19 August 2026. Farmers seeking support under the Government input subsidy programme are being encouraged to register through their Rural Development Areas (RDAs) and complete the required processes to determine eligibility.
The opening comes at an important moment for food security. Government’s 2026/27 agriculture programme places emphasis on strengthening smallholder productivity, climate resilience, livestock disease control and irrigation, while the Ministry’s extension structures remain central to getting technical support and programmes to farmers.
Farmer takeaway: Do not wait for planting rains before sorting out the paperwork. Farmers intending to access subsidised inputs should contact their nearest RDA, confirm the requirements and prepare early.
FREE BROILER PRODUCTION WORKSHOP — SITEKI
Date: Tuesday, 18 August 2026
Time: 09:00–14:00
Venue: Siteki Agriculture Conference Room
Entry: Free
Contact: (+268) 7634 2642
Poultry farmers and aspiring producers in the Lubombo Region have an opportunity to sharpen their broiler-production skills at a free workshop supported by agricultural and enterprise-development partners, including Feedmaster, the Youth Enterprise Revolving Fund and Eswatini Agriculture Development Fund, as indicated on the event notice.
For farmers, training is only valuable when it reaches the chicken house: better management, stronger biosecurity and tighter control of production costs can determine whether a broiler cycle produces profit or disappointment.
FREE BROILER PRODUCTION WORKSHOP — SIPHOFANENI
Date: Wednesday, 19 August 2026
Time: 09:00–14:00
Venue: Siphofaneni Inkhundla Hall
Entry: Free
Contact: (+268) 7634 2642
The poultry training programme moves to Siphofaneni, providing another opportunity for prospective and existing poultry farmers to improve their production knowledge.
With feed accounting for a substantial share of poultry-production costs, technical knowledge on feeding, housing, disease prevention and flock management can make the difference between simply keeping chickens and running a viable poultry enterprise.
FREE PIG PRODUCTION TRAINING — SITEKI
Date: Wednesday, 19 August 2026
Time: 09:00–14:00
Venue: Siteki Agriculture Conference Room
Entry: Free
Contact: (+268) 7607 3834
Pig farmers also get their turn this week. A free Pig Production Training session will be held in Siteki, with the event notice identifying the Centre for Financial Inclusion, Youth Enterprise Revolving Fund and Integrated Farms among the participating partners.
The session presents an opportunity for producers and aspiring pig farmers to strengthen the business and technical knowledge needed to operate sustainable enterprises.
MKHUMBANE DIP TANK OFFICIAL OPENING
Date: Wednesday, 19 August 2026
Location: Mkhumbane Dip Tank, Mbelebeleni
Livestock infrastructure also enters the week’s programme with the official opening of Mkhumbane Dip Tank at Mbelebeleni.
Dip tanks remain an important part of Eswatini’s livestock-health infrastructure, supporting disease and parasite control and giving veterinary services an important point of contact with livestock owners. Government’s agriculture programme specifically includes veterinary services, dip tanks and livestock husbandry among its livestock-development functions.
AGRICULTURAL FINANCE & INPUT SUPPORT PROGRAMMES SEMINAR
Date: Thursday, 20 August 2026
Time: 09:00
Venue: Bulunga – S’khandzabantfu
Contact: (+268) 7623 9058
As the grain planting season opens, access to finance and inputs could hardly be more timely.
The Agricultural Finance and Input Support Programmes Seminar will provide farmers with information around agricultural financing and support opportunities. For producers preparing land, buying seed and fertiliser or planning to expand, understanding where finance comes from—and what it costs—is as important as understanding what goes into the soil.
MAKHEWU DIP TANK OFFICIAL OPENING
Date: Thursday, 20 August 2026
Location: Makhewu, Siteki — near Good Shepherd
A second livestock facility will officially open this week at Makhewu in the Siteki area.
The opening strengthens a wider network of livestock infrastructure used for animal-health interventions. That matters not only for individual cattle owners, but for national disease surveillance, productivity and the protection of livestock markets.
THIS WEEK’S FARMER CHECKLIST
For grain farmers, 19 August is the date to watch: the 2026/27 planting season officially opens, and producers seeking input support should make registration at their nearest RDA a priority.
For livestock and poultry producers, the week offers practical opportunities too, from free broiler and pig-production training to new dip-tank infrastructure and an agricultural finance seminar.
The message is simple: the season is opening, support programmes are moving and training is available. Farmers who prepare early put themselves in the strongest position to benefit.
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Agribusiness Media Eswatini is compiling agricultural events, field days, auctions, trainings, workshops, markets and industry meetings from across the country.
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