Mbabane – Retail outlets, market vendors, wholesalers, and consumers are urged to cooperate fully with the Ministry of Agriculture researchers who will be going about asking market-related questions.
This comes as the Minister of Agriculture, Mandla Tshawuka, represented by Under Secretary Vincent Dlamini, commissioned the National Market Assessment Exercise today. The exercise is conducted every 5 years and was last done in 2020.
The ministry will be conducting the next assessment in the next three weeks, starting from today to November 27, 2025.
Its importance is its contribution to agricultural and economic development.
“The information gathered will help us to make evidence-based decisions that promote food sovereignty, price stability, and fair market access for producers, traders, and consumers alike. It will also enable the government and our partners to better respond to economic shocks, climate impacts, and supply chain disruptions that affect the livelihoods of our people,” the minister said.
The current market conditions, including prices, availability, and movement of both food and non-food items, will be documented, it was said.
The exercise is done in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Red Cross Eswatini, World Vision Eswatini, and other government ministries and stakeholders.
“I would like to appeal to all members of the public, including retail outlets, market vendors, wholesalers, and consumers, to cooperate fully with the data collection teams who will be visiting your areas. Your openness and accurate information will ensure that the results of this assessment truly reflect the situation on the ground. Remember, this is not an inspection or audit—it is a national effort to strengthen our markets for everyone’s benefit,” the minister said.
Discussion about this post