By Ncaba Ntshakala
The National Agricultural Marketing Board (NAMBoard), in collaboration with its partners, is hosting a significant horticulture workshop today at George Hotel in Manzini.
Titled “Food Safety and Quality Standards In The Horticulture Sub-Sector, A Gateway To Market Access,” the event runs from 8:30 am to 1:00 pm and is set to bring together farmers and various organizations within the horticulture value chain.
The primary objective of the workshop is to equip and empower farmers with the knowledge required to effectively implement Global G.A.P. and other quality standards on their farms.
These standards are essential to ensure that all produce supplied to the market is safe for human consumption and sustainable to meet the ever-growing demand for horticultural products.
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In a statement, NAMBoard emphasized the importance of the event, saying, “We look forward to your engagement as we work towards promoting quality standards and sustainable farming in the country.”
The workshop is set to provide a platform for stakeholders to discuss and share best practices in maintaining food safety and quality standards.
It will also highlight the critical role these standards play in gaining market access, both locally and internationally.
By the end of the workshop, participants are expected to have a deeper understanding of the importance of adhering to global food safety and quality standards, which will ultimately enhance the competitiveness of Eswatini’s horticultural produce in the market.
The National Agricultural Marketing Board (NAMBoard) is an entity under the Ministry of Agriculture which is enabled by Act No. 13 of 1985.
The organization is mandated to facilitate markets for farmers in and outside the country and assist these farmers with production, processing, storage, transportation, distribution of the produce the sale of scheduled products.
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It also has three operational functions, which are the Farmers Support and Development Unit, Encabeni Fresh Produce Market and the Regulatory division.
NAMboard offers Farm Support Development Unit which is an operational a marketing extension service that forms part of the farmer support and development through Marketing Extension Officers (MEOs).
