World Vegetable Center, Farmer Coordinator, Thabiso Nkambule.
BY SIBUSISIWE NDZIMANDZE | JOURNALIST
MANZINI – An 82 percent gap in vegetable supply is creating a significant market opportunity for farmers, with traditional African vegetables emerging as a powerful driver of income growth and resilience.
At the centre of that shift is the Taiwan Africa Vegetable Initiative (TAVI), a regional programme led by the World Vegetable Center, which focuses on reviving, conserving and commercialising indigenous crops while strengthening seed systems and market access. When combined with improved seed systems, TAVI has the potential to unlock a new era of market-led, smallholder-driven agriculture in Eswatini.
The insights were shared during a Traditional African Vegetables webinar hosted by Agribusiness Media on 9 April, where Farmer Coordinator Thabiso Nkambule from World Vegetable Center emphasised the need to move farmers from subsistence production into organised, market-oriented systems built on quality seed, better planning and stronger value chains.
Nkambule said the success of this transition depends heavily on improving how farmers access and use seed. He outlined three key pillars: informal seed systems, which rely on farmer-saved seed and local exchange; formal seed systems, which provide improved varieties, certification and wider distribution; and Quality Declared Seed (QDS), which offers a practical middle ground by ensuring acceptable quality standards without the high cost of full certification.
Together, these systems form an integrated seed ecosystem that can expand access to reliable planting material while remaining accessible to smallholder farmers.
According to technical insights presented, improved seed systems can increase crop yields by between 20 and 50 percent, while also improving resilience to drought and pests and supporting biodiversity conservation.
For Nkambule, this positions seed system reform not just as a technical intervention, but as a direct pathway to improving household production, stability and income.
At the same time, traditional African vegetables such as pumpkin leaves, amaranth and okra are being recognised as commercially viable crops with strong and existing demand. These crops are nutrient-dense, well adapted to local climatic conditions and deeply embedded in local diets, making them ideal for both food security and income generation.
Data presented during the webinar shows that Eswatini’s annual vegetable demand stands at approximately 41.5 million kilogrammes, while local production leaves an estimated 82 percent supply gap. Nkambule said this gap reflects a ready market that farmers can supply if production becomes more consistent and better organised.
“This means the market is already there. What farmers need now is consistency, organisation and support to supply it,” he said.
The figures further show that pumpkin leaves alone have an estimated market value of about E7.6 million, while amaranth is valued at around E4 million and okra at approximately E570,000.
Beyond formal markets, the informal economy presents even greater opportunities, with pumpkin leaves trade across the country’s 15 towns estimated at more than 1.5 million kilogrammes, valued at about E46.8 million.
Despite this demand, value chains for traditional vegetables remain underdeveloped, with limited aggregation, storage and structured market access. Nkambule noted that unlocking this potential requires investment beyond production, including improvements in seed systems, irrigation and tunnel production, value addition, cold storage, solar drying, logistics and market intelligence.
Post-harvest losses, estimated at up to 50 percent, remain one of the biggest challenges, significantly reducing the income farmers can earn from their produce. This, he said, highlights the need for better handling, storage and market coordination.
TAVI’s approach is designed to address these gaps by linking production with consumption and market access. The initiative promotes the use of indigenous crops, provides seed kits and farmer training, supports school and household gardens and helps conserve local plant genetic resources. In doing so, it strengthens food and nutrition security while creating opportunities for income generation.
For Nkambule, the combined impact of improved seed systems and TAVI-driven commercialisation offers a realistic pathway for transforming Eswatini’s agricultural sector.
By strengthening coordination, improving farmer capacity and focusing on market-led production, smallholder farmers can increase productivity, improve incomes and reduce dependence on imports.
“The opportunity is already there,” he said. “What is needed now is organisation, quality production and strong market linkages.”
The broader message emerging from the discussions is clear: traditional African vegetables are no longer crops of survival, but crops of opportunity, capable of driving inclusive growth, resilience and sustainable agricultural development in Eswatini.
