BY: SIKHONA SIBANDZE | JOURNALIST
Manzini – Heavy and persistent rains linked to climate change are forcing one of Eswatini’s largest forestry operators to rethink how it produces and moves timber to market.
Montigny says it has lost between E3 million and E5 million in the past few weeks as rainfall disruptions slowed production and brought cross-border exports to a halt, but the company is now rolling out long-term solutions aimed at building resilience and safeguarding future growth.
Montigny, which operates gum-tree plantations and timber processing facilities in Bhunya, and Nhlangano, has been among the agribusinesses hardest hit by the ongoing wet conditions. Beyond local challenges, the rains have also affected neighbouring Mozambique, where damaged road infrastructure has made it impossible for trucks to reach export destinations.
Communications officer at Montigny, Sihle Mavuso says, “Since the rains started, nothing has been going to Mozambique,”. “The heavy rains there have damaged roads, and trucks can no longer navigate those routes.”
Production Slashed Across Sites
The impact on production has been significant. According to Mavuso, Montigny’s harvesting and transport operations have dropped sharply across all three sites. He says on a normal day, the company produces and transports about 40 truckloads of timber, but currently, they are only managing around 20 truckloads per day due to the rains.
Internal processing has also been affected. Where Montigny previously produced 25 to 35 truckloads of wooden planks per day, output has fallen to between 20 and 25 truckloads. The Nhlangano site has seen an even steeper decline, dropping from 15–20 truckloads daily to just 10. “All these reductions are directly linked to the heavy rains that have been falling across the country,” he added.
Turning Crisis Into Strategy
Rather than treating the losses as a short-term setback, Montigny is using the disruption as a catalyst to modernise its operations and adapt to an increasingly unpredictable climate. Central to this strategy is the rollout of mechanical harvesting operations. Under this model, timber is harvested in full and transported to areas with more reliable access, such as Bhunya, where processing and onward distribution can continue even when plantation sites are waterlogged. This approach will keep production moving, even when some harvesting areas are difficult to access.
Expanding Rail as a Climate-Smart Solution
In parallel, Montigny is also looking to expand its use of rail transport, which it already uses on a limited scale. With road networks increasingly vulnerable to extreme weather, rail offers a more stable, climate-resilient alternative for moving large volumes of timber. “We are currently using the railway line, but we are also planning to grow and expand this transport mechanism,” Mavuso confirmed.
Adapting Forestry for a Changing Climate
As climate variability becomes a defining feature of agribusiness operations, Montigny’s response highlights a broader shift underway in Eswatini’s forestry sector, from reactive loss management to proactive climate adaptation.
By investing in mechanisation, improving logistics, and diversifying transport infrastructure, the company is positioning itself to protect production, sustain exports, and remain competitive in an era where extreme weather is no longer the exception, but the norm. For Montigny, the lesson is clear: resilience is no longer optional, it is a core part of doing business in a changing climate.
