BY PHESHEYA KUNENE | EDITOR
EZULWINI — The Kingdom of Eswatini has officially launched the E61 million (USD 3.8 million) GEF-8 Food Systems Transformation Project, a major initiative expected to strengthen climate resilience, restore degraded land, improve water security, and support thousands of farmers and rural households across the country.
Launched at Royal Villas on 19 March 2026, the project is set to directly benefit 25,000 people, including 3,000 farmers adopting climate-smart agriculture, while restoring 6,500 hectares of degraded land and improving water security for 10,000 rural residents. It marks a significant step in Eswatini’s drive to build more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient food systems.
Speaking during the launch, EWADE Director Commercial Musa Masilela said the project would deliver practical and lasting benefits for farmers and communities.
“This initiative delivers tangible benefits through improved irrigation systems, climate-smart agriculture, and landscape restoration,” said Masilela. “Key areas including Lubombo, Ngwempisi, and Malolotja will benefit from targeted land rehabilitation, while farmers nationwide will gain from stronger, more resilient food systems. This investment positions Eswatini’s agricultural sector for long-term growth and sustainability.”
Minister of Agriculture Mandla Tshawuka described the project as a bold and strategic intervention aligned with the country’s agricultural transformation agenda.
“This is a major stride in our journey towards sustainable, resilient, and competitive agrifood systems,” he said. “The initiative ensures farmers benefit from targeted investments, productive landscapes, and income-generating activities. By restoring degraded land, strengthening agricultural value chains, and supporting climate-smart farming, we are moving farmers from subsistence to semi-commercial and commercial levels.”
Minister of Tourism and Environmental Affairs Jane Mkhonta-Simelane said the project would not only strengthen food systems but also advance environmental sustainability.
“By promoting climate-smart agriculture that conserves soils and water, we are strengthening ecosystem services underpinning food security,” she said. “The project also supports sustainable value chains that empower farmers, women, and youth innovators. Strong coordination among all stakeholders is essential to deliver tangible and lasting results.”
The project is being implemented by EWADE and the Eswatini Agricultural Development Fund (EADF) under the technical guidance of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), in collaboration with the Global Environment Facility (GEF).
FAO Sub-Regional Coordinator Dr Patrice Talla praised Eswatini’s leadership in mobilising support for climate adaptation and agricultural resilience.
“This milestone reflects the Kingdom’s resolve to mobilise resources for climate adaptation and agricultural resilience,” said Dr Talla. “FAO’s technical expertise will ensure practical, measurable outcomes that enhance productivity, food security, and sustainable land management.”
Beyond the immediate benefits, the initiative is expected to place 15,000 hectares under improved sustainable land management, help 1,800 households diversify production, and deliver an estimated 350,000 tonnes of CO₂-equivalent carbon benefits, reinforcing Eswatini’s commitment to climate action and sustainable development.
For farmers on the ground, the project already represents renewed hope. Thandiwe Dlamini, a smallholder farmer from Lubombo, said improved irrigation access and climate-smart farming training could change livelihoods for the better.
“Before, we relied on rainfall and struggled to survive one harvest at a time,” she said. “Now, with irrigation and climate-smart farming training, I can plan my crops, increase yields, and improve household income. This project gives us hope for a better future.”
The project places strong emphasis on inclusion, with a participation framework targeting 50 percent women and 30 percent youth. It also aims to create income-generating opportunities, improve market access, and strengthen community-led approaches to landscape governance.
Eswatini’s agriculture sector supports nearly 80 percent of rural livelihoods, but it continues to face major challenges, including climate variability, extreme weather, soil degradation, declining fertility, water scarcity, inadequate irrigation, rising food imports and input costs, and limited youth participation in agriculture.
The GEF-8 project is designed to respond directly to these challenges through the rehabilitation of degraded rangelands, soil and water conservation, crop diversification, invasive species control, and stronger community governance of natural resources.
“We are building resilient agricultural systems capable of withstanding climate shocks while providing practical, measurable benefits to farmers and communities,” said Masilela.
Government officials said the success of the initiative will depend on strong partnerships among the Ministries of Agriculture and Environmental Affairs, development partners, civil society, local communities, the private sector, and financial institutions.
“This is more than a project — it is a movement toward a resilient, sustainable, and inclusive Eswatini,” said Tshawuka. “Farmers, households, and communities must actively participate to make these systems work.”
With E61 million now committed, the GEF-8 Food Systems Transformation Project positions Eswatini’s agriculture sector for long-term resilience, climate adaptation, and economic empowerment. If successfully implemented, it is expected to transform farming livelihoods, raise rural incomes, empower women and youth, restore degraded landscapes, and strengthen national food security.
“This is our chance to farm with confidence, not fear,” said Thandiwe Dlamini. “For us, this project is life-changing.”
