Siphofaneni – The Eswatini Water and Agricultural Development Enterprise (EWADE) has reported remarkable financial growth, with sugarcane revenue now edging closer to the E1 billion mark.
This was revealed during an Editors Forum held yesterday at Tree Tops, where EWADE’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr Samson Sithole, shared the organisation’s progress and achievements before leading a tour of the Mpakeni Dam, a key project symbolising sustainable water resource management and rural empowerment.
Dr Sithole said sugarcane production under EWADE projects reached 1,108,680 tonnes during the year under review, with revenue increasing by E194.8 million. He attributed the growth to expanded irrigation and the successful rollout of community-driven agricultural projects such as Hamba Ubuye.
He said the project has impacted 155,377 people across the country. “Through Hamba Ubuye, 206 farmers were supported with over E14 million to cultivate 1,567.78 hectares, producing more than 3,000 tonnes of sugarcane,” he said.
The CEO added that EWADE’s activities have created a total of 5,669 direct and indirect jobs, contributing meaningfully to Eswatini’s economic development. The company’s tax remittances grew by E154.6 million to reach E251 million in the reporting period.
EWADE’s diversification into agribusiness continues to deliver positive results. Its agribusiness revenue increased to E257 million, with the Agricultural Commercial Cluster segment contributing E14.9 million.
Through its local empowerment initiatives, EWADE awarded contracts worth E310 million to domestic enterprises and supported 145 small, micro and medium businesses. This, according to Dr Sithole, forms part of the organisation’s commitment to boosting local economic activity and ensuring broad-based participation in the agriculture value chain.
The Tintfaba Ubuyo programme also stood out, having assisted 500 farmers with over E14.4 million in funding. This support helped activate 1,987.76 hectares of land and resulted in the production of over 3,000 tonnes of food, strengthening both local food supplies and national resilience.
Dr Sithole said EWADE remains focused on driving agricultural transformation, promoting rural empowerment and advancing Eswatini’s sustainable development agenda. He also encouraged continued collaboration with the media to enhance transparency and public understanding of EWADE’s initiatives.
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