BY SIBUSISEKILE NDLANGAMANDLA
MANZINI – European Union Ambassador Karsten Mecklenburg has challenged dairy processing graduates to develop new products and build stronger links with farmers and businesses to contribute to a more competitive dairy value chain in Eswatini.
Mecklenburg said producers should move beyond simply producing agricultural commodities and focus on creating greater value through processing, innovation and stronger market connections.
He said value addition could create opportunities for farmers, processors, entrepreneurs, retailers, transporters and other service providers while contributing to income generation and enterprise development.
He encouraged the graduates to use the skills acquired to introduce new products to the market, improve the quality and safety of existing products and work with local farmers to develop stronger and more reliable supply chains.
Mecklenburg said producers should increasingly understand their customers, meet market requirements and build competitive brands if local enterprises are to participate effectively in domestic, regional and international markets.
He also emphasised the importance of food safety and consistent quality, saying consumers should be able to trust the products they purchase while businesses should be able to meet the standards required by their target markets.
Stronger dairy value chains would require cooperation between government, development partners, financial institutions, private-sector companies, training institutions and producers.
The European Union’s support for the programme, which sponsored 50 Emaswati under an initiative implemented by the International Trade Centre in collaboration with government, was being translated into practical skills, enterprise opportunities and greater productive capacity.
He also said that training alone was not sufficient to turn skills into viable businesses. Graduates and entrepreneurs could require access to finance, appropriate equipment, markets, business development services, standards and certification, packaging, branding and mentorship.
He said the European Union remained committed to working with the Government of Eswatini and other partners on initiatives supporting economic opportunities, skills development, entrepreneurship, value chains and private-sector development.
He expressed hope that the skills acquired through the programme would contribute to stronger businesses, better products, more employment opportunities and a more vibrant livestock value chain in Eswatini.
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