ESWADE pumps E3.7 bn into Eswatini & counting
June 24, 2024
Sustainable Land and Water Management in Mntjuzalala Catchment
September 23, 2024
The main focus of the KDDP was to assist Farmer Companies in the Project Development Area (PDA) to establish and operate 6,000ha irrigated farms where about 20,000 people were expected to benefit directly and indirectly.
In most instances the farms are made up of land that has belonged to families in the PDA under the Swazi Nation Land tenure system. Traditionally this land was cultivated by families for subsistence. These families joined together initially as associations which have become companies.
Project Area
The Project Development Area (PDA) covered an area of about 27 000ha. The three (3) constituencies which were earmarked and benefited include Mhlangatane, Lomahasha and Madlangampisi and they are constituted of 10 chiefdoms. These Chiefdoms are Nkambeni, Madlangamphisi, Sidvwashini, Mafucula, Malibeni, Sihhoye, Mangweni, Mpofu, Nhlanguyavuka and Nyakatfo.
Objectives
The main objective of the project was poverty alleviation with water as a catalyst to development. This was to be achieved by a move from subsistence to commercial agriculture.
Hence, EWADE through KDDP assisted communities with agricultural business development by providing assistance with:
- Business plan development
- Group constitution and articles of association
- Registration of private companies
- Introduction to private financiers
- Engineering inputs
- Agricultural training
- Infrastructure such as potable water, bridges and roads
Key Achievments / Highlights
The following key project targets were achieved;
- 31 000 people were final beneficiaries
- 27 farmer companies established and operational
- 6,036ha of land was developed (5,446ha under sugarcane and 590ha under alternative cash crops) with 1,482 people employed by the farmer companies (FCs). FCs have a total of 2,283 shareholders.
- 60km gravel road constructed
- 11 dip tanks were relocated
- 9 potable water schemes constructed supporting a total of 24591 people (3,513 homesteads) with clean water and 28,714 (4,102 homesteads) people with sanitation facilities.
- 3 nurseries established
- Over 40 livestock projects established
- 27 tunnels for crop production were constructed
- Total loans disbursed to FCs were over E211 Million
