By Silindzelwe Nxumalo
A total of 30 smallholder sugarcane growers who were contesting in the 19th Edition of the Smallholder Sugarcane Growers Competition bagged about E642 000 worth of prizes sponsored by several companies.
The smallholders were showered with the prizes on Thursday during the competition, which was held at Siphofaneni, Phumulamcashi Community Centre in Lubombo Region.
The growers competed in four categories which were, Swazi Nation Land, Title Deed Land, Vuvulane, and Most Consistent Grower. Under the Swazi Nation Land category, there were 20 winners who all won E15 667 for capacity building, with positions four and five winning E300 extra and positions three and two winning laptops and printers worth E15 000.
Position one of this category was Khwanyani Investments (PTY) Limited who, on top of the E15 667 capacity building prize took home E20 000 in cash and a trophy. In the Title deed Land category, five growers went home with prizes worth E103 833. All five winners won E15 667 worth of capacity-building prizes, certificates, and medals, with position three winning an extra laptop worth E3000 and position two also winning an extra laptop worth E7 500.
Position one in this category was Packard and Wright who on top of the capacity building prize won a E15 000 cash prize and a trophy. Under the Vuvulane category, there were also five winners who all took home E15 667 worth of capacity-building, certificates and medals. Position three got an extra laptop worth E3 000 and position two also won an extra laptop worth E7 500.
Nomsa Magagula who obtained position one, on top of the capacity building, medal, and certificate, took home an E15 000 cash prize and a trophy. In the Most Consistent Grower category, which is solely sponsored by Standard Bank Eswatini, three winners shared prizes worth E65 000. These winners were selected from all three categories which are Vuvulane, Swazi nation land, and Title deed Land.
Position three of this category was Mavelemphini Dlamini from Vuvulane who walked away with E19 500 cash, and second place was taken by Packard and Wright who was from Tittle Deed Land, and won the E19 500 cash prize. Buhle Besive Multipurpose Cooperative from Swazi Nation Land took the first position in this category winning E26 000 in cash.
The sponsors for the competition were Eswatini Electricity Company (EEC), Ubombo Sugar Limited, FNB Eswatini, Standard Bank Eswatini, Nedbank Eswatini, Eswatini Cane Grower Competition, FINCORP, Eswatini Bank, EWADE and ESRIC.
Sponsors Representatives EEC Managing Director (MD) Ernest Mkhonta congratulated the ESA for hosting the 19th edition of the Smallholder Sugarcane Growers (SSGs) competition, which seeks to recognize and reward prizes to the best-performing smallholder growers having achieved high yields as a result of employing good farming practices, during the year 2023.
Mkhonta congratulated the ESA for the vision they had as a business in the Eswatini sugar industry and their quest to attain new markets. “In doing so, you are looking at an inclusive and proactive response to the need to demonstrate to customers and sugar users that local sugarcane production processes are performed sustainably,” he said.
The MD who was represented by the GM James Mabundza also appreciated all the 30 smallholder growers who had been part of this year’s competition. “You are all winners by your being in the industry that stimulates economic activity in Eswatini,” he said.
He mentioned that as partners in this event, they recognized and appreciated that ESA’s driving force behind the competition was to expand market access for the growers by ensuring that their sugar production processes were compliant with domestic and international standards.
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The MD stated that in their business endeavours, they had a common goal, as the business community, to ensure they contribute to the GDP of Eswatini. “One of the key objectives of the Smallholder Sugarcane Growers event is to recognize well-performing Smallholder Sugarcane Growers and encourage them to share best practices so that they remain productive, profitable, and sustainable,” he said.
He mentioned that this objective was aligned with their business prospects to ensure that local businesses, especially at this level, remain financially sustainable and profitable. “As a point of note, the Eswatini Electricity Company has been promoting and sharing best practices on energy efficiency to the Smallholder Sugarcane Growers over the years. We would like these energy-efficiency best practices to be shared among the farmers and other players that contribute to the sustainability of the sugarcane industry at large,” he said.
He further stated that the number of growers that had participated in this competition over the years, as well as the results of their business practice, was an encouragement for them as businesses to continue to support this initiative.
“I am certain that everyone who participates in this competition can attest to that this competition has greatly capacitated growers in building capacity to ensure that their business is viable and sustainable,” he said.
Khwanyani Investment (PTY) Limited who were the overall winners under the Swazi nation land category which had 20 winners, said their secret had always been long- and short-term planning. Speaking on behalf of the winners, Supervisor Dumisa Ziyane, mentioned that it was their dream to ensure that they pay back all the bank loans they had and increase their production.
Ziyane encouraged farmers who wanted to be winners of the competition to give their supervisors everything that they would need and have a way of resolving conflict from within. “It is important for the farmers to stick together and know their objective and work towards their dividends,” he advised.
He said what made them become the overall winner was having enough planning together with the executive which made them stay on the same page.
