GAMULA – The EswatiniBank Board continued its national tour on Wednesday with a stop at Vulamatfuba Farmers (Pty) Ltd in the fertile plains of Gamula, where a multi-million Emalangeni agricultural venture is reshaping rural livelihoods and food production.
Led by Board Chairperson Matholeni Matsenjwa, the delegation engaged with members of the farmers’ cooperative, which cultivates 184 hectares of sugarcane, 36 hectares of bananas, and 16 hectares of other crops. The tour forms part of EswatiniBank’s broader effort to assess the impact of its investments on community development and national food security.
Vulamatfuba Farmers, a 117-member cooperative, has benefited from E16.8 million in funding from EswatiniBank, accounting for 30% of the total financial package for the project. The government, through the Eswatini Water and Agricultural Development Enterprise (EWADE), contributed E37 million towards the same.
According to Matsenjwa, the project has already created employment for more than 100 Emaswati in the region. The banana fields have proven especially valuable, with the cooperative now exporting produce to South Africa.
“We are not just growing food. We are building opportunities for our people,” said Matsenjwa. “This initiative has changed lives and empowered families.”
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