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By Majaha Nkonyane | 2018-07-22
THE European Investment Bank (EIB) yesterday granted a E528 million loan to ministry of finance.
This loan will finance phase two of the Lower Usuthu Smallholder Irrigation Project (LUSIP II) whose custodian is SWADE.
SWADE is the Swaziland Water and Agricultural Development Enterprise.
Speaking at the signing ceremony held at the ministry of finance, EIB Vice-President Ambroise Fayolle stressed the importance of water for agriculture, hence the loan.
“The efficient management of water really is crucial. LUSIP II is a flagship project in many respects, especially as it will strongly support as many as seven sustainable development goals,” he said, describing the first phase of LUSIP as a great success.
LUSIP 1 added over 6 000 hectares of irrigated land to Eswatini’s agricultural basin. Now, with new canals right up to the farmers’ land, as well as new pumping systems to replace the old ones, local farmers may have really fruitful times ahead.
European Union Ambassador Esmeralda Hernandez Aragones described LUSIP II as being fully aligned with the EU National Indicative Programme (NIP) for 2014 – 2020 which singles out agriculture as one of the two key focal areas of intervention, with a view to addressing existing challenges and promoting sound agricultural practices, eradicate food insecurity, and contributing to sustainable economic growth.
Aragones said by supporting such projects, the EU aims to contribute meaningfully to the country’s development initiatives thus helping Eswatini to achieve economic growth and prosperity.
SWADE Chief Executive Officer Samson Sithole said in LUSIP II, EIB had provided substantial non-financial value added in terms of project preparation since 2012.
project
He said SWADE had designed a bankable and sustainable project especially with respect to scoping, structuring, technical solutions, as well as social and environmental standards incorporating lessons learnt from LUSIP I and EU's best practice.
Sithole said following on the LUSIP I project, which had the objective of storing water to enable year-round agricultural production, LUSIP II will enlarge the available irrigated farmland for local smallholders.
The design of the bulk storage facility (Lubovane Dam), constructed under LUSIP I, envisaged a command area of 11.500ha, this includes LUSIP II.
According to Sithole LUSIP is a climate adaptation initiative to alleviate poverty and improve food security through sustainable agriculture in the Lowveld, one of the driest and poorest areas of land-locked Eswatini, where over 70 per cent of the population relies on subsistence farming and one in three people are undernourished.
The project is based on an integrated bottom-up approach of social and economic empowerment throughout project identification, preparation and implementation, supporting the introduction of commercial farming in the area.
The final beneficiaries according to Sithole are predominantly smallholder homesteads that will be grouped into Farmer Companies (FCs) to operate the irrigation systems and adopt modern farming technologies, with efficient use of water and energy resources.
LUSIP II will directly benefit about 2 300 smallholder households and 10 000 people, with a further 10 000 indirectly benefiting through connected activities.
Through the provision of irrigation services, LUSIP II will provide a strong boost to the agricultural economy and is expected to have considerable spill overs on job creation, private sector development, health conditions, as well as on environmental protection through decreased land degradation.
Sugarcane cultivation will cover a maximum of 70 per cent of the irrigated area, while at least 30 per cent of the irrigated area shall be allocated to other food and cash crops.
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