E21 MILLION PAID TO LOCAL HORTICULTURE FARMERS

BY SIBUSISEKILE NDLANGAMANDLA

MANZINI – Local horticulture farmers received E21 million in payments during the previous financial year through the National Agricultural Marketing Board (NAMBoard), providing farmers with income while strengthening the link between local agricultural production and reliable markets.

The payments demonstrate the economic opportunities created when farmers are connected to buyers who have demand for locally produced horticultural commodities.

NAMBoard is strengthening this market-linkage approach through the Eswatini Horticulture Information System (EHIS) and its Area Planted reports, which provide information on production levels against estimated market demand.

The system gives farmers and other stakeholders a clearer picture of what commodities are being planted and whether production is aligned with what the market requires.

This allows farmers to make more informed decisions on what to plant and how much to produce, reducing the risk of growing crops for which there is limited demand.

The E21 million paid during the financial year also highlights the income that local farmers can generate when their produce is successfully linked to markets.

Beyond the farming, increased horticultural production supports other economic activities, including the supply of agricultural inputs, transportation, marketing and distribution.

NAMBoard’s market-linkage role places both production and demand at the centre of efforts to grow the local horticulture sector. Consistent supply of quality locally produced vegetables could also create more opportunities for domestic farmers to compete with imported produce and retain more agricultural spending within Eswatini.

For the sector to sustain this growth, farmers will need to produce according to market requirements, maintain quality and supply consistently. Access to market information can help them make stronger commercial farming decisions.

The E21 million paid to local horticulture farmers therefore reflects more than the value of produce sold; it shows the income and wider economic activity that can be generated when local farmers are connected to demand.