BY TANDZILE DLAMINI
MANZINI— The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture Eswatini, the Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Affairs (MTEA) and the Ministry of Justice, on Monday, 1 December 2025, convened a high-level consultative workshop at The Gorge Hotel in Manzini.
The workshop aims to strengthen Eswatini’s forestry legal framework and institutional capacity while improving climate resilience, protecting natural resources and supporting communities that depend on forests for their livelihoods.
The workshop brought together officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, FAO experts, academia, civil society and members of the National Task Team. It is being held under the ACE Programme, formally known as “Governing for Sustainable Agrifood Systems: Strengthening Legislation and Building Capacity to Support Implementation, Compliance and Enforcement.”
The main focus of the workshop is to validate a national legal assessment on climate change and agriculture and to expand the scope to include a detailed review of Eswatini’s forestry legal and institutional framework. This includes identifying gaps in current forestry legislation, reviewing the draft Forestry Bill and strengthening coordination among agencies responsible for forest management and protection.
Principal Secretary for the Ministry of Agriculture, Sydney Simelane, said forests are critical to Eswatini’s climate resilience, water security, biodiversity protection and rural livelihoods. He said the workshop had come at an important time as the country is working on finalising a new Forestry Bill.
“This workshop arrives at a timely moment to ensure that legislative reform, institutional mandates and enforcement practices are practical and aligned with national priorities. The Government is committed to taking forward the recommendations that will come out of this process,” said Simelane.
FAO Development Law Consultant Eugenio Francesco Dandrea introduced the ForestLEX+ tool, a technical support system that will help the country assess its forestry laws and guide future legal reforms. He explained that the tool will assist in identifying weaknesses in the law and strengthening systems for implementation, compliance and enforcement.
Over the three days, participants are expected to validate the national legal report on climate change in the agriculture sector, examine forestry legislation and institutions, receive training, and develop practical recommendations that will guide future reforms. These outcomes will also help Eswatini meet its international commitments under agreements such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
The inclusion of forestry in the ACE Programme followed a formal request by the Government of Eswatini. It reflects the strong link between forests, agriculture, climate change and sustainable development.
With support from FAO and its partners, Eswatini is taking a positive step towards building strong, climate-smart laws that will protect forests, strengthen governance and secure a better future for generations to come.
(Courtesy)
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