Smallholder Market-Led Project (SMLP)
September 23, 2024
MNWAP – Production of indigenous chickens for household food security
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The Lower Usuthu Smallholder Irrigation Project (LUSIP) in the Kingdom of Swaziland involved the construction of three dams to form an off-river storage reservoir for 155 million cubic metres of water.
The main canal and distribution system constructed below the dam, together with on-farm works, was designed to irrigate a net 11 500 ha. A total of 2 600 households, representing 15 300 people, were expected to benefit directly from the project.
Project Area
The project was located in the geographic areas of the following Chiefdoms: Madlenya, Ngcamphalala, Shongwe-, Gundvwini-Lesibovu, Mamba-Mamisa, Bulunga-Mahashulane and Mphumakudze-Mphaphati.
Objectives
The goal of the Project was the reduction of poverty and sustained improvement in the standard of living of the population in the Project Development Area through commercialisation and intensification of agriculture.
Outputs:
- Infrastructure with ability to impound, store, and distribute 155 million cubic metres of water per annum.
- Approximately 65 farmer-managed institutions benefitting 2600 households.
- All households in the project area with access to potable water and sanitation facilities.
- All negative impacts of the project are mitigated against and positive impacts enhanced
Key Achievements /Highlights
- 60 farmer companies established and operational (sugarcane & banana)
- 20,118 people (2,874 homesteads) were final beneficiaries
- 6,115ha of land was developed (5,045ha under sugarcane and 1,071ha under alternative cash crops) with 5,100 people employed by the farmer companies (FCs). FCs have a total of 3,121 shareholders.
- 6 potable water schemes constructed supporting a total of 20,118 people (2,874 homesteads) with sanitation facilities and 14,646 (2,740 homesteads) people with clean water.
- 157 homesteads relocated to new sites and 1 school relocated
- Total loans disbursed to FCs were E102,688,791.45
