BY PHUMELELE GAMEDZE (INTERN)
MBABANE- Key stakeholders in Eswatini’s sugar industry are set to meet tomorrow at the Simunye Country Club for a high level sugar summit aimed at strengthening collaboration, boosting economic growth, and addressing sector challenges.
Speaking ahead of the meeting, Mlamuli Hlatjwako, Head of Business and Commercial Banking at Standard Bank, said the gathering comes at a crucial time for the country’s sugar value chain.
He noted that the summit will bring together industry leaders to share ideas, engage in open discussions, and explore practical solutions to strengthen Eswatini’s economy through the sugar sector.
Hlatjwako said key focus areas will include job creation, reducing unemployment, supporting small scale sugar farmers, and improving competitiveness in regional and global markets.
He stressed that Eswatini’s sugar industry must become more innovative and adaptable to rapid changes in the global sugar market, while also improving communication and collaboration among stakeholders.
A major discussion point will also be environmental sustainability in production processes specifically reducing practices that harm the environment and ensuring more responsible and eco friendly farming and manufacturing methods. In simpler terms, this includes reducing environmental damage caused by farming activities such as pollution, overuse of land, and unsustainable agricultural practices.
According to Hlatjwako, the industry must also assess its competitiveness within regional trade blocs to ensure Eswatini maintains its position as a leading sugar producer.
He added that the summit is expected to generate new ideas and practical strategies to grow the sugar economy, strengthen integration across the value chain, and enhance the sector’s long term resilience.
The sugar industry remains one of Eswatini’s largest employers and a key contributor to the national economy, making the outcomes of the summit highly significant for broader economic planning and development.
Industry stakeholders say the meeting also presents an opportunity to reinforce partnerships between commercial banks, farmers, millers, and policymakers to unlock financing and innovation needed for expansion.
There is growing optimism that the summit will not only diagnose challenges but also produce actionable solutions that support rural development and improve livelihoods across sugar-dependent communities.
#SugarEconomy #EswatiniDevelopment #AgricultureGrowth #JobCreation
(Courtesy Pic)
