BY KWANELE TSABEDZE
UBOMBO – “The objective behind this MOU is to ensure the successful establishment of new farming companies in the 4,000 hectare LUSIP II Scheme.”
This was detailed in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) which was signed by Ubombo Sugar Limited and Eswatni Water Development Enterprise (EWADE) today.
The MOU, which was signed at Ubombo Country Club, further cements a partnership which has lasted for over 18 years.
Speaking at the MOU signing, USL Managing Director Muzi Siyaya likened the signing event to a renewal of wedding vows. Siyaya went to emphasise the importance of succession plans for such large projects, detailing how the lessons from the Lower Usuthu Smallholder Irrigation Project (LUSIP I) have been applied to LUSIP (II).
“What is now positive to see is the transfer of lesons from LUSIP I, and one of those is closer cooperation,” noted Siyaya.
“It is absolutely critical that we stick to the timeline of the programme,” emphasised Siyaya, after discussing how one of the lessons from LUSIP I was how to keep project development on time.
“I also take pride in our involvement in the project,” volunteered the USL MD.
Some of the ways which Ubombo Sugar Limited assists in the projects is through the provision of seeds for planting, technical training, providing farmers with a procurement system to expedite their operations, as well as by providing growers with an Accountant, to especially help them with VAT compliance.
The MOU also details that the objective will be met through the provision of technical support from USL and EWADE to the newly created farming area. It also details that USL has Grower support teams that are contracted through the Eswatini Sugar Association to provide extension support to Growers in the Ubombo Sugar mill supply area.
EWADE has been responsible for the design and implementation of the bulk of infrastructure and irrigation on the scheme, according to the MoU.
