BY: PHESHEYA KUNENE | EDITOR
MBABANE – Eswatini has launched a new National Disaster Risk Management Authority (NDRMA) under the 2025 Disaster Risk Management Act, a structural reform expected to improve how the state responds to climate shocks that have recently caused widespread hail damage to crops and farm infrastructure across the country.
The establishment of the Authority, formerly the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA), marks a shift in disaster governance with direct implications for agriculture, a sector increasingly exposed to erratic weather patterns and production losses. The reform was officially unveiled by Deputy Prime Minister Thulisile Dladla in Mbabane.
For farmers, the timing is significant. Recent hailstorms have destroyed crops at critical stages of production, damaged irrigation systems and wiped out expected incomes in several farming communities. The losses have underscored long standing weaknesses in emergency response coordination and recovery support mechanisms within the agricultural sector.
The new Authority, also known as Umvalo Wesive, is expected to strengthen early warning systems, improve inter agency coordination and accelerate post disaster response. In practical terms, this could mean faster damage assessments in rural farming areas, more structured relief interventions and improved alignment between agricultural services and disaster response frameworks.
Dladla said the reform is intended to move the country from reactive disaster management to a more anticipatory system focused on resilience building. The Disaster Risk Management Act replaces previous legislation and consolidates institutional responsibility under a single national authority.
In the agricultural context, this consolidation is expected to address fragmentation that has historically slowed response times when extreme weather events occur. Farmers affected by the recent hailstorms have reported delays in receiving assessments and limited immediate support, despite significant losses in both subsistence and commercial production zones.
Lomathemba Hlophe, Chairperson of the former NDMA Board, said the success of the new institution will depend on its ability to deliver measurable outcomes rather than structural change alone.
“The establishment of the National Disaster Risk Management Authority is not just a transition, but a moment of accountability,” she said, stressing the need for practical improvements in disaster response efficiency.
Agriculture remains one of Eswatini’s most climate sensitive sectors, with smallholder farmers particularly vulnerable due to limited access to insurance and recovery financing. The recent hailstorms have intensified concerns about production stability and rural income security, particularly in areas dependent on seasonal crop cycles.
The new framework is expected to improve coordination between meteorological services, agricultural extension officers and emergency response units, creating a more integrated approach to climate risk management. If effectively implemented, it could reduce the time lag between disaster occurrence and state response, a critical factor in agricultural recovery.
However, analysts caution that institutional reform alone will not resolve structural vulnerabilities in the sector. Implementation capacity at local level, funding for rapid response and sustained coordination between ministries will determine whether the new Authority delivers meaningful impact on the ground.
For now, Eswatini’s farming communities remain in recovery mode following the hailstorm damage, but expectations are rising that the new disaster management framework will provide a more reliable safety net in future climate shocks.
The reform positions disaster risk management more directly within the agricultural development agenda, reflecting a growing recognition that climate volatility is now a central economic risk rather than an external disruption.
