EWADE successfully partnered with key stakeholders in the crops and livestock value chains, including the Ministry of Agriculture’s Department of Veterinary and Livestock Services, the Department of Agricultural Extension, and NAMBoard. These partnerships continue to support farmers with production and marketing services, ensuring sustained growth beyond the SMLP’s implementation phase.

Mutimba emphasized the importance of the PROCAVA delegation’s visit, calling it a vital opportunity to learn from EWADE’s success.
“PROCAVA aims to transform rural communities and reduce poverty by developing resilient agri-food value chains across 75 districts in Mozambique. With a focus on vulnerable smallholder farmers, we target key sectors like horticulture, cassava, red meat, legumes, and poultry,” Mutimba explained. “We’re here to gain insights into how EWADE’s model can support our own objectives.”

A regional leader in agricultural transformation

EWADE’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr Samson Sithole, expressed pride in IFAD’s selection of EWADE as a model of success.
“This engagement with PROCAVA highlights Eswatini’s growing reputation as a leader in agricultural transformation,” said Dr Sithole. “Our success with the SMLP has been recognized for integrating biodiversity conservation and climate-resilient technologies, positioning EWADE as a champion in Southern Africa.”

Dr. Sithole further noted that the SMLP’s multi-faceted approach enhances food and nutrition security, boosts smallholder farmers’ income, and builds robust value chains linking smallholders to secure markets.
“Hosting this exchange visit confirms our capacity to implement projects that bring about tangible improvements in rural livelihoods,” he added.

Showcasing market-driven agricultural development

During the visit, EWADE’s Commercial Maize Project Manager, Robert Mabundza, delivered a presentation on the SMLP’s successes. He emphasized how the project empowered smallholder farmers by providing access to irrigation, inputs, training, and markets.
“The SMLP significantly boosted productivity and created employment opportunities, particularly for women and youth, through the development of value-added products in food processing,” Mabundza said.

Key areas of interest for PROCAVA

PROCAVA’s delegation is particularly keen to explore several key areas of EWADE’s work, including indigenous chicken and goat value chains, farmer organization models, rainwater harvesting infrastructure, climate-resilient technologies, and agroecological practices. These areas align perfectly with PROCAVA’s mission to build resilient livelihoods and improve food security for smallholder farmers in Mozambique.

Mabundza explained that the visit would give PROCAVA leaders firsthand experience with how EWADE tackled challenges like soil and water resource management, market access, and smallholder productivity.
“PROCAVA will also observe other EWADE projects, including those under IFAD’s FINCLUDE project, which supports farmer initiatives across Eswatini,” Mabundza added. “We hope these insights will help PROCAVA scale up its efforts, benefiting the 180,300 households it targets.”

Collaboration and Future Prospects

As the PROCAVA visit unfolds, it reaffirms EWADE’s role as a leader in Southern Africa’s agricultural transformation. IFAD’s former country coordinator for Eswatini and Zimbabwe, Jaana Keitaanranta, expressed satisfaction with the growing collaboration between IFAD-supported projects, highlighting that such partnerships strengthen agricultural initiatives across borders.
“We applaud the leadership of EWADE and the Center for Financial Inclusion for fostering national-level cooperation between projects, rather than working in silos,” Keitaanranta said.

She further noted that this partnership sets the foundation for future collaborations, including potential synergies with the Southern African Program for Economic Mobilization and Empowerment (SAPEMP).

Additionally, the Mozambican delegation received a presentation on the Mkhondvo-Ngwavuma Water Augmentation Project (MNWAP), including the E2.6 billion Mphakeni Dam construction in the Shiselweni Region. They also explored agricultural development enterprises under the LUSIP II project, which include banana, sugarcane, and potable water projects.

With its proven track record of innovation and sustainability, EWADE stands as a beacon of agricultural excellence, offering valuable lessons for countries striving to enhance food security and climate resilience.