BY KWANELE PRINCE TSABEDZE
MBABANE – The Minister of Agriculture has reiterated the country’s agricultural self-sufficiency as a key driver for food security.
Minister Mandla Tshawuke reaffirmed his position when encouraging cooperation between all stakeholders in the agricultural value chain, from the rural indigenous to the urban commercial. The Minister was speaking during a conference by member countries under the Taiwan African Vegetable Initiative (TAVI).
“We have been tasked by His Majesty to hastily end hunger and poverty in the country. This is why we are engaged in such initiatives and also seeking business and developmental partners for the country to assist us in making sure that we eventually eradicate the hunger present in the country,” said Minister Tshawuke.
“Poverty is particularly hard when there is no food in the home. So, we will diligently work on all the programmes in the country which are aimed at ensuring food security in the homes so people can live – which is why we are here launching this meeting today,” added the Minister.
He also revealed that the Ministry will be embarking on the development of a strategy and policy guidelines on how poverty will be eradicated in the country.
“As we embark on this, we will need our partners to assist us in determining these and other means of ensuring food security in the country – whereby the country feeds itself with local produce, with minimal reliance from agricultural imports,” added the Minister.
He further encouraged the use of indigenous seeds and vegetables, citing that they are what sustained our elders into old age.
The two-day meeting will focus on promoting the strategic action plan for the rescue, conservation, and sustainable use of African vegetable biodiversity in Sub-Saharan Africa. Stakeholders who are participating in the engagement include the World Vegetable Centre, Taiwan in Eswatini, TAVI Eswatini, and government officials from Eswatini as well as various other African countries
