By EPN Reporter
MBABANE – Eswatini Water and Agricultural Development Enterprise (EWADE) has now supported 110 farmers through the Commercial Maize Revolving Fund Project.
About E6 744 375.94 has been injected into this project, which benefitted the farmers. The project, which is otherwise known as ‘Hamba Ubuye’ has been done to improve food security in the country and make every Liswati be able to eat at homestead level.
EWADE Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Samson Sithole has today toured the farms, where the maize has been cultivated. Sithole has been able to meet some of the farmers who benefitted from this programme.
Farmers from all of the four regions of the country benefitted from this programme. Manzini has more farmers that benefitted, as 36 of them enjoyed EWADE’s generosity under this programme. Lubombo Region had 36, while Hhohho has the least number of farmers, who were 17.
These farmers had been supported by this parastatal with input packages for the 2023/24 financial year. These farmers, with an approximate area of 989.5ha (Manzini- 363ha Lubombo- 120ha Shiselweni- 396ha and Hhohho- 110.5ha) received inputs worth E 6 744 375.94 from this revolving fund this season.
Meanwhile, EWADE, in its mandate to empower communities, has, in December 2023 supported the Mpolonjeni Water Supply scheme to revive a community project that would provide clean water for both domestic and agricultural usage.
The Mpolonjeni water supply scheme ceased to operate in 2013 due to non-payment of electricity. In its command to improve livelihoods through economic empowerment, the EWADE donated materials valued at SZL 95 400 to ensure that the water scheme is up and running again.
The event termed EWADE Day occurs annually where the EWADE team goes out to people in communities to give back through lending a helping hand. The EWADE staff went all out to assist in rehabilitating the Mpolonjeni water supply project and participated in the planting of crops such as beetroot and maize, installed irrigation pipes and a pump to filter and provide clean water as well of fencing of 3 community gardens that support 46 individuals who sell commercially to formal markets.
