By Lwazi Dlamini
Over 123 000 emaSwati who are currently jobless will be catapulted from the jaws of poverty as EWADE will launch two projects worth E921 million.
The two projects which the Eswatini Water and Agricultural Development Enterprise will soon implement are the Smallholder Agricultural Activity Enhancement (SAPEMP)
and Marketing Project (SAPEMP) worth E851 million targeting 117 600 people and the FAO – GEF 8 Systems Project worth E70 million aimed at transforming 5 000 emaSwati’s lives.
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This good news was announced by EWADE Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr Samson Sithole on Friday during an Editor’s engagement and tour of the under-construction E2.6 billion Mpakeni Dam and the Lower Usuthu Smallholder Irrigation Project Phase II (LUSIP II).
Dr. Sithole said the overall of goal of SAPEMP is to contribute to the sustainable reduction of poverty in the rural Eswatini.
According to the CEO, the eight-year project will benefit almost all the Tinkhundla of the Kingdom of Eswatini.
Sithole said the project will see about 17,000 smallholder farmers and households directly benefiting.
He said the target groups for the project are the socio-economic groups.
“Micro and small entrepreneurs in need of technical and financial assistance to become sustainable commercial farmers.
Also, the rural HHs, who already meet their minimal needs, but who remain vulnerable to exogenous shocks which hinder their capacity to become commercially productive,” Sithole added.
Regarding the FAO – GEF 8 Systems Project, Dr Sithole said the project seeks to support Eswatini in catalysing the transformation to sustainable food systems that are nature-positive, resilient, and pollution-reduced.
He went on to say the project will focus explicitly on sustainable, regenerative, nature-positive production systems and support effective value/supply chains covering key commodities such as maize, beans and livestock.
“In all the projects we want to undertake we are trying to ensure that government invests very little and that’s why we are inviting the private sector.
We are just looking for a 1/3 from the government in terms of contribution and our model is such that we want to ensure the load is as light as possible for the government,” Sithole said.
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EWADE Water Resources specialist Enock Dlamini explained that the Mkhondvo-Ngwavuma Water Augmentation Programme has a holistic approach which will turn the Shiselweni region into an economic hub.
“The Mkhondvo-Ngwavuma Water Augmentation Programme is not Mpakeni Dam, Mpakeni Dam is a part of the Programme.
The whole plan is to make Shiselweni the economic hub of the country hence we are going to bring an Eco-City like Copenhagen in Denmark.
There will be Eco-Tourism opportunities which will include Recreation, Hotels and other services,” Dlamini said.
He added: “I know it sounds like a dream but it is possible. For example, we already have an advert published for the Sphambanweni road. This shows that we have a master plan for the Eco-City”.
