BY: ANDREW DLAMINI
MBABANE – In a significant boost to the agricultural community, Energy and Environmental Corporation (EEC) has announced a substantial contribution of E150,000 towards the Eswatini Sugar Association’s (ESA) Smallholder Sugarcane Growers’ Competition this year.
The generous donation from EEC aims to empower the competition’s winners, enabling them to adopt sustainable farming techniques and best business practices, thereby enhancing sugarcane productivity in the region.
Khaya Mavuso, EEC’s Marketing and Corporate Affairs Manager, emphasized that the company’s commitment to supporting smallholder sugarcane growers extended far beyond the confines of the competition sponsorship. Over the years, EEC has taken dedicated efforts to strengthen its relationships with these growers through educational initiatives. These programs are designed to impart knowledge about sustainable energy usage and provide technical advice on energy efficiency, particularly concerning Time of Use Tariffs.
Mavuso explained that “EEC supports sugarcane growers with technical advice on energy matters and efficiency in their consumption, especially on the Time of Use Tariffs. EEC has established relations with smallholder sugarcane growers to educate them on energy efficiency. We believe such partnerships and engagements will ensure the effective and efficient use of electricity to meet the required environmental aspects of the company as well as offset our overall carbon footprint in relation to environmental sustainability”.
EEC’s involvement in the event is in harmony with its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, aimed at enhancing the socio-economic status of disadvantaged communities. Mavuso highlighted that one of EEC’s strategic objectives is to bolster the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Recognizing the invaluable contribution made by smallholder sugarcane growers towards this goal, EEC’s support serves as a motivational factor, encouraging better performance and driving improvements in the local economy.
This investment not only underscores EEC’s dedication to environmental sustainability but also exemplifies its active role in promoting economic development within the region. Through this initiative, EEC continues to demonstrate its commitment to creating a thriving and sustainable agricultural sector in Eswatini.
