Mbabane – The Eswatini National Youth Council has welcomed the E150,000 loan facility introduced by the National Maize Corporation in partnership with the Youth Enterprise Revolving Fund, saying the initiative comes at a critical time for young farmers involved in maize and bean production.
The facility targets Liswati youth aged between 18 and 35 who are actively engaged in maize and bean farming and are contracted with the National Maize Corporation. It is designed to improve access to working capital, raise productivity in staple crops and support the growth of sustainable youth led agribusinesses across the country.
Under the programme, the loans are strictly for working capital and may cover part or all production costs in line with approved gross margins. The minimum loan amount is set at E10,000, while the maximum varies according to business structure. Individuals and sole traders may access up to E50,000, registered companies up to E100,000 and registered cooperatives up to E150,000.
Applicants are required to meet several conditions, including having at least one hectare for beans and three hectares for maize. The land must be fenced and supported by an irrigation system. Young farmers must also submit proof of land rights or intent to lease, a business plan and three year cash flow projections, in line with standard YERF requirements.
ENYC Communications Officer Sibongakonkhe Mamba said the loan facility supports youth participation in key agricultural value chains such as maize and beans, while encouraging productivity, accountability and commercial viability, which are critical for the long term sustainability of youth farming enterprises.
However, the Council noted that engagement with young farmers, particularly in rural areas, has shown that some may face readiness challenges in meeting technical and operational requirements. These include production planning, infrastructure preparedness and compliance standards.
“These challenges reflect the varying levels of capacity among youth farmers and point to the need for continued coordination and complementary support among implementing institutions,” Mamba said. She added that while the facility is sound in its design, phased and coordinated support will be important to ensure that youth farmers at different stages of development can progressively benefit.
The Council also acknowledged that institutions such as YERF already provide structured pre and post application support, including guidance on application processes, compliance requirements and loan management, which is key to responsible uptake and sustainable use of the funding.
Mamba said ENYC will continue to support these efforts through youth mobilisation, information sharing and policy advocacy aimed at strengthening an enabling environment for youth participation in agriculture. She also encouraged young farmers to organise themselves and affiliate with bodies such as the Eswatini National Agricultural Union to access capacity building, peer learning and sector specific support.
She further noted that the Council periodically rolls out business plan writing, CV development and youth empowerment programmes to strengthen youth readiness for future funding and enterprise development opportunities.
Applications for the loan facility can be submitted online through the YERF website, while physical forms are available at YERF offices, Tinkhundla centres, National Maize Corporation depots and Regional Development Areas. The deadline for bean farmers is the end of January, while maize farmers have until the end of July.
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