MANZINI - Stakeholders across government, private sector and development partners have charted a clear reform agenda for Eswatini’s livestock industry following the successful hosting of the Feedlot Indaba.
Held at The George Hotel, the two-day Indaba was convened by the Ministry of Agriculture in partnership with the European Union and the International Trade Centre (ITC). It brought together key players under the theme: ‘Building resilient and competitive MSMEs in the feedlot sector.’
The platform formed part of the Eswatini Livestock Value Chain Development Programme (ELVCDP), implemented by the ITC with financial backing from the EU, under the broader ‘Eswatini: Promoting Growth Through Competitive Alliances’ initiative. The programme seeks to unlock competitiveness constraints, strengthen value chain linkages, and promote inclusive economic growth.
A central outcome of the Indaba was a collective commitment to move beyond policy discussions towards actionable reforms aimed at revitalising the livestock sector.
The industry continues to grapple with structural challenges, including escalating feed costs, limited access to quality inputs, constrained financing and the lingering effects of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). These pressures have contributed to a contraction in feedlot operations and weakened the country’s competitiveness in both domestic and export markets.
Addressing delegates, Agriculture Minister Mandla Tshawuka underscored the urgency of coordinated reforms.“Feedlotting represents a strategic opportunity for Eswatini to drive premium beef production, create jobs and increase foreign exchange earnings.
However, we must confront the realities facing the sector, particularly the devastating impact of foot-and-mouth disease, which remains the elephant in the room,” he said.Tshawuka stressed that restoring growth would require collective action across the value chain, anchored on stronger compliance, enhanced biosecurity and improved coordination among stakeholders.
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L-R: ITC Programme Officer Bilal Qureshi, Manzini Regional Administrator Chief Gija, EU Eswatini Political Counsellor Jose Marta Becerra, Minister for Agriculture Mandla Tshawuka and PS Sydney Simelane.(Courtesy pic)