E740 MILLION CASSAVA DRIVE TARGETS EXPORTS, SMALLHOLDER FARMERS
BY PHESHEYA KUNENE EZULWINI – Eswatini has launched a US$40 million (about E740 million) cassava commercialisation project aimed at bringing smallholder farmers into export-oriented value
CLEAN WATER KEY TO EGG PRODUCTION, FARMERS TOLD
BY AGRIBUSINESS REPORTER MBABANE – Commercial layer farmers have been urged to treat clean drinking water as a core production input, with Cranefeeds / Farm
WORKSHOP TO BUSINESS: MELULEKI BUILDS OYSTER MUSHROOM ENTERPRISE
Oyster mushroom sample ready for the market. BY SIBUSISIWE NDZIMANDZE | JOURNALIST MANKAYANE – What began as a free training opportunity has grown into a
MARKET-FOCUSED BUTTERNUT FARMING SECURES TOP HONOURS FOR VUVULANE FARMER
NAMBoard’s Head of Agribusiness, Sydney Dladla, is making his remarks at the NAMBoard’s farmers’ roadshow in Siphofaneni RDA BY SIBUSISIWE NDZIMANDZE | JOURNALIST SIPHOFANENI —
FUEL PRICES SURGE AS ESWATINI HIKES PETROL, DIESEL AND PARAFFIN
Eswatini motorists, households and businesses are set for a sharp rise in fuel costs after the Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy announced major increases
US-IRAN CONFLICT COULD TRIGGER FERTILISER PRICE SHOCK IN ESWATINI, WARNS PS
BY SIBUSISO MNGADI MBABANE – Eswatini could soon face soaring fertiliser prices, supply shortages and rising pressure on food production if the conflict involving the
ESWATINI UNVEILS ROYAL SIGNATURE EXPO 2026 AS HIGH-END INVESTMENT SHOWCASE
BY: PHESHEYA KUNENE | EDITOR EZULWINI – Eswatini has officially unveiled the Royal Signature Expo 2026, a high-end, invitation-only showcase that will run from April
ENTC VALIDATES PROTECTED AREA PLANS TO STRENGTHEN WATER SECURITY AND FARMING
BY PHESHEYA KUNENE LOBAMBA – The Eswatini National Trust Commission (ENTC) has moved to strengthen water security and sustainable agriculture through the validation of Protected
HUGE DEMAND FOR SOYABEAN AND OTHER HIGH-VALUE CROPS NOW FILLED BY IMPORTS
Malkerns Town Council Chief Executive Officer Cinsela Dlamini making his remarks at the Malkerns Farmer’s Seminar. BY SIBUSISIWE NDZIMANDZE | JOURNALIST MALKERNS — Farmers in
BROILER MARKET DEMAND OUTPACES SUPPLY AS FARMERS URGED TO SCALE UP
BY SIBUSISIWE NDZIMANDZE | JOURNALIST MANZINI — Broiler farmers were today told to “scale up or miss out” at the Broiler Production Farmers Day, where
100 YOUNG FARMERS GET E600,000 FINCLUDE GRANT
BY SIBUSISIWE NDZIMANDZE | JOURNALIST MANZINI — High input costs remain one of the biggest barriers keeping young people out of farming, and Phase III
MALKERNS TO HOST FIRST FARMERS’ SEMINAR TARGETING MARKET ACCESS AND MODERN AGRICULTURE
BY PHESHEYA KUNENE MALKERNS — The Malkerns Town Council is set to host its first Farmers’ Seminar tomorrow at Princess Pholile Hall, bringing together farmers,
E300 0000 EEF GRANT MAY HELP COMMUNITIES MEET RDF 10% DEPOSIT
NOSIPHO MKHIZE | JOURNALIST MBABANE — Communities struggling to raise the 10 percent contribution required to access the Regional Development Fund (RDF) may now have
EASING INFLATION, RISING RISKS: WHY ESWATINI HELD RATES STEADY
BY SANELE SIBIYA | ECONOMIST Eswatini’s inflation trend may have strengthened the case for a rate cut, but rising geopolitical tensions, oil price volatility and
POWER TARIFF HIKE TO 11.74% TIGHTENS COST PRESSURES ON FARMERS
BY PHESHEYA KUNENE MBABANE – For Eswatini’s farmers, electricity is no longer a background cost, it is fast becoming a defining one, and the latest
ESWATINI ENVIRONMENT AUTHORITY TO HOST NATIONAL WEBINAR ON ACCESSING E300,000 ENVIRONMENT FUND GRANTS
BY SIBUSISIWE NDZIMANDZE | JOURNALIST MANZINI — The Eswatini Environment Authority (EEA) will host a national webinar on 30 March 2026 aimed at guiding communities,
INFLATION EASES, BUT FARM CREDIT REMAINS COSTLY
BY PHESHEYA KUNENE EZULWINI – The Central Bank of Eswatini’s recent decision to maintain the discount rate at 6.75 per cent has drawn a spectrum
SOLAR-POWERED WATER SCHEME TRANSFORMS LIVES IN PHONJWANE
BY SIBUSISIWE NDZIMANDZE | JOURNALIST PHONJWANE — Rural communities in Eswatini are set to benefit from improved access to clean and reliable water following the
MBULUZI ECOSYSTEMS RESTORATION PROJECT TARGETS POOR DIETS THROUGH INDIGENOUS CROPS DRIVE
BY: SIBUSISIWE NDZIMANDZE | JOURNALIST LUVE — Poor dietary habits, heavy dependence on starchy staple foods, and low consumption of proteins, fruits and vegetables have
CONSISTENCY, QUALITY DRIVES NGONINI FARMER TO TOP HONOUR AT NAMBOARD
BY: SIKHONA SIBANDZE | JOURNALIST LUVE — Consistency in supply, commitment to quality and a strong understanding of market needs helped Bonga Fakudze of Ngonini
E851M SAPEMP TO BUILD FARMER CLUSTERS, PACKHOUSES AND EXPORT LINKS
BY PHESHEYA KUNENE | EDITOR EZULWINI — An E851 million agricultural intervention is being rolled out in Eswatini with the aim of doing more than
ITC CALLS ON AGRIBUSINESS SMEs TO APPLY FOR AfCFTA TRADE SUPPORT PROGRAMME
BY AGRIBUSINESS MEDIA REPORTER MBABANE — Agribusiness small and medium enterprises in Eswatini and across Africa that are ready to grow beyond their local markets
212 OUT OF 619 FEEDLOTS STILL OPERATING AS ESWATINI MOVES TO SAVE A SECTOR IN CRISIS
Government officials, development partners and farmers in the feedlot sector posing for a group photo. BY SIBUSISIWE NDZIMANDZE | JOURNALIST MANZINI — Eswatini’s feedlot industry
RESTORING ACCESS TO INDIGENOUS FOOD THROUGH BUTTER NICE FARMS
BY SIBUSISIWE NDZIMANDZE | JOURNALIST MKHONDVO — Restoring access to indigenous food while supplying consumers with fresh, natural products is the mission driving Nozizwe Ginindza’s
EIPA SETS NEW DEADLINE FOR FOOD TAIPEI 2026 APPLICATIONS
BY SIBUSISIWE NDZIMANDZE | JOURNALIST MANZINI — As Eswatini intensifies its push to position local products in international markets, the Eswatini Investment Promotion Authority (EIPA)
JRBA-PB FAREWELLS FOUNDING CEO SINDY MTHIMKHULU, LEAVING LEGACY OF INTEGRATED WATER GOVERNANCE
BY PHESHEYA KUNENE – EDITOR MBABANE – The Joint River Basin Authorities Project Board (JRBA-PB) yesterday bade a poignant farewell to its founding Chief Executive
E3M FUND BACKS EGG OUTPUT GROWTH AND FARM EXPANSION
BY PHESHEYA KUNENE – EDITOR MANZINI – It was not just a training, it was a wake-up call, as farmers filled the Manzini National Library
MARKET-DRIVEN FARMING EARNS MNGOMEZULU TOP NAMBOARD HONOUR
BY: SIKHONA SIBANDZE | JOURNALIST LAVUMISA — Mpakeni farmer Mfanukhona Macalindaba Mngomezulu says one of the most important lessons he has learned in farming is
E61 MILLION CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURE BOOST FOR ESWATINI
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,
COMMUNITIES INVITED TO APPLY FOR E300,000 CLIMATE ACTION GRANT
BY NOSIPHO MKHIZE | JOURNALIST MANZINI – As climate change, water scarcity, and land degradation continue to threaten livelihoods across Eswatini, a new funding window
ESWATINI LIFTS BAN ON BUTTERNUT IMPORTS DUE TO LOW LOCAL PRODUCTION
BY SIBUSISIWE NDZIMANDZE | JOURNALIST MANZINI – Eswatini has lifted the ban on butternut imports after local production fell short of meeting national demand. The
FARMERS MUST PAY TO JOIN GROWING TURMERIC VALUE CHAIN
BY: SIKHONA SIBANDZE | JOURNALIST SIDVOKODVO – Farmers who want to enter Eswatini’s emerging turmeric industry will have to be prepared to invest in formal
E61 MILLION TO REVIVE 25 000 FARMERS AND 6 500 HECTARES THROUGH CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURE
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,
NOT MORE LAND, BUT BETTER YIELDS: ESWATINI’S MAIZE STRATEGY SHIFT
The Minister of Agriculture, Mandla Tshawuka, addressing farmers during the National Maize Variety Field Day. BY SIBUSISIWE NDZIMANDZE | JOURNALIST MAHLANYA– Eswatini is intensifying efforts
HUGE DEMAND FOR PIGS IN SHISELWENI PUSHING FARMERS
BY SIBUSISIWE NDZIMANDZE | JOURNALIST NHLANGANO – Strong demand for pigs in Shiselweni and across Eswatini is creating growing market opportunities for local farmers, as
E50 MILLION MARKET FOR TRADITIONAL VEGETABLES
BY PHESHEYA KUNENE – EDITOR MANZINI – A projected E50 million market for traditional African vegetables, with demand exceeding 1.5 million kilograms annually, is reshaping
Eswatini’s Economy Holds Steady in Q4 2025 as Lower Inflation Offers Relief to Agribusiness
By Agribusiness Media Reporter MBABANE – Eswatini’s economy closed the fourth quarter of 2025 on a relatively stable footing, with lower inflation, positive sector growth,
PM SETS CLOCK TICKING AS SADC UNIVERSITY BOARD TAKES CHARGE
BY PHESHEYA KUNENE MBABANE – Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini has officially appointed and commissioned the SADC University of Transformation Board, tasking it with urgently
CHECKPOINTS STILL CRUCIAL AS ESWATINI STEPS UP FMD VACCINATION DRIVE
Foot and Mouth-Disease (FMD) Vaccination Progress in Eswatini BY SIBUSISIWE NDZIMANDZE | JOURNALIST MANZINI – Eswatini has vaccinated about 110 000 cattle against Foot and
NEW CLIMATE RESEARCH CENTRE TO DRIVE CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURE IN ESWATINI
BY: NOSIPHO MKHIZE | JOURNALIST MATSAPHA – Eswatini has launched the Centre for Climate Change and Sustainability Research (C3SR) at the University of Eswatini (UNESWA),
“LEAD LIKE AN OCTOPUS”: EWADE CEO URGES FARMERS TO DRIVE ESWATINI’S AGRICULTURAL TRANSFORMATION
BY: PHESHEYA KUNENE | EDITOR MANZINI – Farmers must stop seeing themselves as mere producers and start acting as leaders, innovators and decision-makers if Eswatini
SAPEMP OPENS DOOR TO 600–1 200 JOBS IN SIPHOCOSINI
BY: SIBUSISIWE NDZIMANDZE | JOURNALIST SIPHOCOSINI — On the outskirts of Mbabane, where many young people wake up each day caught between rural hardship and
E14.7M TAIWAN FUND TRANSFORMS WOMEN FARMERS
BY PHESHEYA KUNENE – EDITOR MATSAPHA – More than E14.7 million has been channelled into empowering women farmers in Eswatini through the Taiwan-backed Women’s Start-up
GOVT MOVES TO SOFTEN POWER HIKE AS FARMERS, FAMILIES FEEL THE HEAT
Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini addressing the media about electricity tariffs at the Cabinet Conference Room. BY: SIBUSISO MNGADI | EDITOR IN CHIEF MBABANE —
TAVI MOVES TO PHASE II AS ESWATINI PUSHES TRADITIONAL VEGETABLES INTO MARKETS
BY: SIBUSISO MNGADI | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF MANZINI — Eswatini’s drive to turn traditional African vegetables into stronger commercial crops is gathering pace, with the Taiwan-Africa Vegetable
NEW NUCLEAR LAW TARGETS SAFER FOOD, TOUGHER CROPS AND STRONGER FARM PROTECTION
BY: PHESHEYA KUNENE | EDITOR EZULWINI — Eswatini’s newly enacted Nuclear Radiation and Safety Act No. 17 of 2025 is being positioned as a major new
NAMBOARD AWARD REINFORCING COMMERCIAL FARMING CAREERS
BY SIBUSISO MNGADI MOTSHANE — A Hhohho horticulture farmer who broke into NAMBoard’s top three producers says the recognition has cemented farming as her full-time
OIL HITS FOUR-YEAR HIGH AS ESWATINI FARM, FEED AND FOOD COST FEARS GROW
BY PHESHEYA KUNENE MANZINI — Brent crude oil surged to about US$106 (SZL 1,753.02) per barrel on Monday, 9 March 2026, its highest level in
EWADE LINKS FARMER SUPPORT TO CLIMATE FUNDING, IRRIGATION AND RURAL INCOME GROWTH
BY PHESHEYA KUNENE MANZINI — The Eswatini Water and Agricultural Development Enterprise (EWADE) says smallholder farmers will benefit from stronger climate resilience support, improved natural
YOUNG BEEKEEPER EXPLORING COSMETICS WITH BEESWAX
Illustration of a natural beeswax lip balm representing products being developed under the Opulento Scents concept. BY SIBUSISIWE NDZIMANDZE | JOURNALIST SITEKI – While many
“YOUR MEAT IS STILL SAFE” — EMBIVENI ASSURES NATION AMID FMD CRISIS
BY PHESHEYA KUNENE Photos sourced from Embiveni Facebook Page. MANZINI — Eswatini Meat Industries has assured the nation that beef sold locally remains safe to
ESWATINI GEARS UP TO JOIN E90 BILLION TURMERIC GLOBAL MARKET
BY SIKHONA SIBANDZE | JOURNALIST SIDVOKODVO — Eswatini is positioning itself to tap into the growing global turmeric industry valued at about E90 billion, with
15 MILLION TREES BY 2030 DRIVE TAKES ROOT IN HHUKWINI WITH E2 MILLION BOOST FOR COMMUNITY PROJECTS
BY PHESHEYA KUNENE HHUKWINI – Eswatini’s national campaign to plant 15 million trees by 2030 moved from policy into practice today as Government handed over
ESWATINI’S AGRIFOOD SYSTEM IS UNEQUAL AND UNDERPERFORMING — WILL FAO’S PLAN CHANGE ANYTHING?
BY PHESHEYA KUNENE MANZINI — Eswatini’s agrifood system is deeply unequal and underperforming — and that blunt diagnosis is now shaping the country’s next five
FARMERS QUESTION GOVERNMENT’S COMMITMENT TO AGRICULTURE TRANSFORMATION
BY SIBUSISO MNGADI | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF MANZINI – The Eswatini National Agricultural Union (ESNAU) has raised serious concerns over the country’s long-term commitment to transforming agriculture,
UBOMBO SUGAR RAISES THE BAR WITH 113-HECTARE DRONE PLANTING
Drone lifting off above a sugarcane field as it prepares to begin aerial seeding of sunhemp. BY SIBUSISIWE NDZIMANDZE | JOURNALIST MANZINI – As agriculture
OVER 18 000 CATTLE VACCINATED AS ESWATINI RAMPS UP FMD WAR
BY PHESHEYA KUNENE MANZINI – More than 18 000 cattle have already been vaccinated nationwide as Eswatini steps up its battle against Foot and Mouth Disease
BREAKING DOWN E2.2 BILLION AGRICULTURE BUDGET
BY SIBUSISO MNGADI | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF The E2.2 billion allocation to the Ministry of Agriculture in the 2026/27 National Budget is more than just a spending
CCARDESA URGES ESWATINI TO SCALE UP CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURE FAST
BY PHESHEYA KUNENE MANZINI – Agriculture feeds 70 percent of rural households in Eswatini but contributes just 7 percent to GDP, leaving the sector vulnerable
FAO DRIVES E500 MILLION AGRI PLAN AS STAKEHOLDERS SEAL FOOD SOVEREIGNTY ROADMAP
BY PHESHEYA KUNENE MANZINI – Eswatini’s agriculture sector is getting a major boost as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and government
DROXFORD FOODS REPLACING PEANUT BUTTER, OIL IMPORTS ONE BOTTLE AT A TIME
BY PHESHEYA KUNENE MBABANE – An engineer has established a peanut butter and peanut oil processing plant at Sidvwashini Industrial Sites, Mbabane, positioning Droxford Foods
YOUNG FARMER SELLING 30 RABBITS PER MONTH
BY PHESHEYA KUNENE – EDITOR HHOHHO – The morning breaks to the clatter of wire cages and the soft thump of restless rabbits as Kwanele
NAMBOARD BEGINS ROADSHOWS FOR HORTICULTURE FARMERS
BY: SIKHONA SIBANDZE | JOURNALIST MANZINI — Horticulture farmers across Eswatini will receive direct, practical guidance on markets, pricing, post-harvest handling and the Eswatini Horticulture
AGRICULTURE GETS E2.2 BILLION; BUT 73% FOR MPAKENI DAM
Neal Rijkenberg, Minister for Finance, presents the National Budget Estimates for the 2026/27 financial year during the third session of the 12th Parliament of the
FARMERS AT THE CENTRE OF NEW CLIMATE ADAPTATION DRIVE
Stakeholders pose for a group photo during the national consultation on the Strengthening Ecosystem-based Adaptation for Sustainable Livelihoods within Landscapes (SEASL) project. BY SIBUSISIWE NDZIMANDZE
MARULA SEASON CASH BOOST EMAGANU PULLS IN E100 MILLION FOR LOWVELD FARMERS
BY PHESHEYA KUNENE – EDITOR HLANE – The golden marula fruits are falling across the Lowveld and this year’s EMAGANU season is turning what was
MNWAP PHASE 1B PIPELINE TO STRENGTHEN IRRIGATION SUPPLY FOR 4,600ha OF FARMERS
Representatives of GVPR Engineers Limited and EWADE Chief Executive Officer Dr Samson Sithole sign the E1.78 billion Main Conveyance Pipeline contract under MNWAP Phase 1B
KING SETS 2026 AGENDA FOR FOOD SECURITY, MARKETS AND CLIMATE RESILIENCE
BY SIBUSISO MNGADI As Eswatini enters 2026—declared the Year of Agape Love—His Majesty King Mswati III used the Speech from the Throne to call for
STAKEHOLDERS WORKSHOP ON DIFFERENTIAL WATER PRICING SIGNALS FAIRER, USAGE-BASED TARIFFS FOR THE AGRICULTURE SECTOR
Stakeholders pose for a group photo following the Differential Water Pricing Framework workshop held at Piggs Peak Hotel. BY SIBUSISIWE NDZIMANDZE | JOURNALIST MANZINI –
KFC INJECTS E540K INTO CLIMATE-SMART PHILANI MASWATI GREENHOUSES
BY PHESHEYA KUNENE – EDITOR MANZINI – Storms smashed, heat scorched and drought drained the fields, but a E540 000 lifeline is now raising climate-smart
ECINISWENI MUSHROOM PROJECT REBOUNDS AFTER TAP THEFT DISRUPTION
BY: SIBANDZE SIKHONA | JOURNALIST MANZINI – A mushroom farming project in Ecinisweni has regained momentum after the restoration of its water system, enabling producers
LOCAL FARMER EXPORTS 100KG VELVET BEAN COFFEE TO CANADA
BY PHESHEYA KUNENE – EDITOR MANZINI – While policymakers debated value chains inside the American Spaces library, a different kind of strategy was unfolding at
FIRST 70,000 FMD VACCINE DOSES ARRIVE
BY: SIKHONA SIBANDZE | JOURNALIST MANZINI — Eswatini has received the first batch of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccines from Botswana. Minister of Agriculture Mandla Tshawuka
UMELUSI GPS TAGS PROMISE TO END E6.5 MILLION CATTLE THEFT BLEED
BY PHESHEYA KUNENE – EDITOR MANZINI – Eswatini’s battle against cattle rustling has entered the digital frontier. A GPS based livestock tracking system known as
ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION TO STRENGTHEN BEEF INDUSTRY AND EXPORT POTENTIAL
Participants pose for a group photo after completing the artificial insemination training held at Mpisi Veterinary and Farmers Training Centre. (Photo Credit: EU in Eswatini)
WOMAN FARMER OF THE YEAR RESILIENT AMID RELENTLESS HEATWAVES, DROUGHT AND STOCK THEFT
BY PHESHEYA KUNENE – EDITOR KASHOBA, LUBOMBO – Heatwaves, relentless drought and scorching skies are testing farmers across Eswatini, but for Woman Farmer of the
BRIDGING ESWATINI’S HONEY GAP WITH PURE LOCAL PRODUCTION
BY SIBUSISIWE NDZIMANDZE | JOURNALIST MANZINI – When storms destroyed his bean crop, Siphesihle Dlamini did not give up on farming; he changed direction. Instead
E115 000 GONE: MKHATSHWA’S PAIN EXPOSES DEEPENING LIVESTOCK THEFT CRISIS
BY PHESHEYA KUNENE – EDITOR MDZANGWINI – Cattle farmer Emmanuel Mkhatshwa wakes up most mornings with a lingering fear that his kraal might have grown
MINISTRY PUSHING MUSHROOM FARMING AS A CLIMATE-SMART NUTRITION AND INCOME SOLUTION
BY: SIKHONA SIBANDZE | JOURNALIST NHLANGANO – As Eswatini faces more frequent climate shocks, erratic rainfall, heat waves, hailstorms and cold snaps, the Ministry of
ESWATINI’S AGRICULTURE RUNS ON SHARED RIVERS—HERE’S THE COLLABORATION KEEPING IT ALIVE
BY SIBUSISO MNGADI | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF A high-level strategic breakfast meeting held on 10 February 2026 at the Royal Villas in Ezulwini brought together key institutions
PROF. CLIFF DLAMINI DRIVES BAMBOO PUSH TO OPEN GLOBAL MARKETS FOR ESWATINI FARMERS
BY PHESHEYA KUNENE – EDITOR MANZINI – Eswatini’s bamboo industry is gaining fresh momentum following a renewed commitment by Prof. Cliff Sibusiso Dlamini to expand
TEACHER TURNED FARMER: MELUSI’S GROWING DAIRY ENTERPRISE
BY SIBUSISO MNGADI MALINDZA – In Eswatini’s Lowveld, dairy farming is not simply “keeping cows”. It is a disciplined livestock enterprise built on heifer management, controlled
UNESWA HORTICULTURE SHINES AT 2026 COMBINED CONGRESS, SPOTLIGHTING CHEAPER, RELIABLE RED PEPPER SEEDLINGS
BY: SIKHONA SIBANDZE | JOURNALIST Source: UNESWA Official Facebook Page MANZINI – The University of Eswatini’s (UNESWA) Horticulture Department has earned regional recognition after one
EU BACKED PROJECT PUTS WOMEN AND YOUTH IN CONTROL OF LIVESTOCK ENTERPRISES
BY: SIKHONA SIBANDZE | JOURNALIST MANZINI — For years, Eswatini’s livestock economy has carried a quiet imbalance: women and young people often do much of
LEGACY IN LIVESTOCK: SITEKI YOUTH REVIVES FAMILY PIGGERY AMID RISING STOCK THEFT
BY PHESHEYA KUNENE| EDITOR SITEKI – When Mathokoza Kunene moves between the pens of his piggery in Moyeni, he is doing more than feeding livestock.
