The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) conducted a Supervision Mission for the Smallholder Agriculture Productivity Enhancement and Marketing Project (SAPEMP) from 13 to 24 April 2026. The mission aimed to assess overall progress toward achieving the project’s development objective, with a comprehensive review of implementation performance, operational effectiveness, and results delivery.

Working closely with the Project Management Unit (PMU) and the Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini, the mission undertook a holistic evaluation of project implementation. The process included identifying key bottlenecks affecting delivery and disbursement, while providing targeted technical guidance to strengthen performance and accelerate progress. Engagements with project stakeholders enabled constructive dialogue and facilitated practical support in critical areas requiring improvement.

Mission Objectives

The mission focused on the following strategic areas:

• Assessing implementation progress against approved performance indicators in collaboration with the PMU and key stakeholders.
• Reviewing project plans, operational procedures, financial status, and the implementation of previous mission recommendations to ensure continued alignment with project objectives and targets.
• Evaluating performance against Supervision and Implementation Support (SIS) indicators, identifying risks to achieving development outcomes, and proposing practical mitigation measures.
• Assessing fiduciary performance, including financial management and procurement capacity, to ensure effective utilization of project financing.
• Reviewing progress on financial instruments such as matching grants and lines of credit, as well as partnerships formalized through Memoranda of Understanding or Agreements.
• Conducting field visits to verify physical progress on the ground and assess beneficiary engagement and participation.
• Agreeing on actionable recommendations to guide implementation and enhance project delivery.
• Initiating discussions on potential additional financing, including identifying priority investment areas to scale impact.

Field Engagements

As part of the supervision process, the mission visited several project-supported sites across the country to assess progress and interact directly with beneficiaries and partners. These included:

• Wakitsi Enterprise (Hawane)
• Mavulandlela Scheme and youth farmer initiatives (Mshingishingini, Ntfonjeni, Hhohho)
• Smiling Through Anchor Enterprise (Ngololweni)
• Bean demonstration plot (Ndushulweni)
• Buseleni Chiefdom structures (Nkwene)
• Quality Fresh (Mahlanya)
• National Agricultural Marketing Board (NAMBoard)
• National Maize Corporation

These visits provided valuable insights into project achievements, challenges, and opportunities for strengthening impact at community and institutional levels.

Way Forward

The mission concluded with a shared commitment between IFAD, the Government of Eswatini, and the PMU to strengthen implementation performance and enhance results delivery. Agreed recommendations will guide the next phase of execution, with a focus on improving efficiency, scaling successful interventions, and ensuring that SAPEMP continues to contribute meaningfully to agricultural productivity, market access, and rural livelihoods in Eswatini.