BY PHESHEYA IAN KUNENE
EZULWINI – Eswatini is putting pen to policy as the country validates its 5th and final Biennial Review Report under the 2014 Malabo Declaration in a crucial push to end hunger and transform agriculture.
The validation meeting, held on Friday at Happy Valley Hotel in Ezulwini, brought together stakeholders from government ministries, farmers’ associations, civil society, private sector, and development partners.
Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Sydney Simelane, said the report was more than a scorecard, it was a reflection of national commitment, to be presented by His Majesty’s Government at the African Union Summit.
“This isn’t just a ministry report,” Simelane stressed. “It is a national commitment. It must reflect what each of us, from the smallest farmer to the highest office, has contributed toward meeting the Malabo targets.”
The Malabo Declaration, adopted in 2014, reaffirmed Africa’s push to eliminate hunger and halve poverty by 2025 through inclusive agricultural growth. It built upon the 2003 Maputo Declaration, which called for African countries to allocate at least 10% of their national budgets to agriculture and achieve 6% annual growth in agricultural GDP.
Simelane highlighted Eswatini’s ongoing reforms aimed at accelerating progress. These include the rollout of the Eswatini Agriculture Development Fund, the development of structured commodity value chains, improved coordination through agriculture industry associations, and a new Integrated Digital Agri-Data and Information System to boost performance tracking.
“These interventions,” he said, “are already prioritized in the Second Generation National Agriculture Investment Plan. The onus is now on all of us to align our work with these tools and deliver real results.”
However, it wasn’t all green lights. Simelane admitted that recurring data gaps continued to hamper progress.
“We remain off-track in key indicators. Many departments report lack of available data or rely on outdated statistics. This is a systemic challenge we must urgently fix,” he added.
Representing development partners, Assistant FAO Representative applauded the government for its steady strides in CAADP implementation.
“Eswatini has shown commitment by aligning national policies with the Malabo framework,” he said, citing achievements like the launch of the 2nd Generation ENAIP and operationalisation of the Agriculture Development Fund.
He also hailed the country’s youth involvement in farming, smart irrigation schemes, and growing resilience against climate shocks as steps in the right direction.
“From embracing food systems thinking to beefing up animal health and empowering women farmers, Eswatini is on a promising path,” he said.
Looking ahead, stakeholders were reminded that 2025 marks not only the final Malabo target year, but also the dawn of a new era under the Kampala CAADP Declaration. The new framework will prioritize innovation, inclusivity, and climate-smart agriculture.
“As we prepare to transition to the Kampala vision, let this report not just be a box to tick, but a tool to transform,” Simelane concluded.
With time ticking towards 2025, one thing is clear: Eswatini’s agricultural revolution won’t be televised, it’s being reported, reviewed, and most importantly, rooted in action.
