Mbabane – The Centre for Financial Inclusion (CFI) on Saturday hosted the national broiler multi-stakeholder cluster meeting at the George Hotel in Manzini, bringing together farmers, financial institutions, processors, and government representatives to discuss ways to strengthen Eswatini’s poultry sector.
The meeting, held under the FINCLUDE project, aimed to improve coordination across the poultry value chain and explore practical strategies to boost productivity, profitability, and access to sustainable markets.
Farmers from the Shiselweni poultry cluster shared success stories showing how innovation and teamwork have helped them overcome challenges they faced in their journey. They cited group purchasing of feed, shared access to veterinary services, and better record-keeping as key factors that have increased their efficiency and profits. The Shiselweni poultry cluster has secured large scale markets, including Pick n Pay and Umbuluzi Valley Sales among others.
“We’ve learned that collective action gives us power,” said Bongani Mabuza, one of the farmers from the Shiselweni cluster.
“By working together, we lower our costs, meet larger orders, and ensure we always have supply when the market demands it.”
Retailers and buyers, including Umbuluzi Valley Sales, Pick n Pay, and OK, also took part in the discussions. They urged farmers to focus on improving quality and consistency to meet retail standards, adding that issues like packaging, hygiene, and supply reliability remain barriers for many small producers.
Discussion about this post