Ezulwini- Eswatini is seeking more than E10.7 million to stage a three-day continental agriculture summit, while expecting the gathering to generate business for hotels, airlines and local suppliers as hundreds of delegates descend on the Kingdom next month.
Agriculture Minister Mandla Tshawuka disclosed the cost of hosting the African Union Seed Summit during a fundraising and pledging session at Happy Valley Hotel on Monday, appealing to the private sector and development partners to help finance the country’s hosting obligations.
The summit is scheduled for October 5 to 7 at Ezulwini Palazzo and is expected to bring agriculture ministers, government officials, international organisations and other high-level delegations to Eswatini.
Tshawuka said 23 agriculture ministers had already confirmed their attendance, with further interest coming from other countries and international partners.
For businesses, the gathering is expected to create a short-term increase in demand for accommodation, air travel, transport, catering and other services.
“We expect the flights to be probably overbooked. We expect hotels to be full,” Tshawuka said.
The government has therefore framed the summit not only as an agricultural meeting but also as an opportunity for businesses to benefit from the movement of international visitors through the country.
Hotels and hospitality businesses are expected to be among the immediate beneficiaries as delegations arrive for the three-day programme.
The government has launched a nationwide mobilisation campaign to raise money and secure goods and services needed for the summit, with companies, financial institutions, farmers, non-governmental organisations, development partners and individuals being encouraged to participate.
The Eswatini Posts and Telecommunications Corporation has pledged internet connectivity and related services worth approximately E331,000.
Khuba Traders has committed E5,000, while Eswatini Agricultural Supplies has pledged E10,000 in cash. Nisela Farms has committed E11,000, consisting of E8,000 in cash and products worth E3,000.
An organisation working with the sign-language community has also pledged LED screens for the high-level meeting.
The contributions illustrate the different ways businesses and organisations can participate, with some providing cash and others supplying products or services required to stage the summit.
Tshawuka said the fundraising campaign was not intended only for large companies and urged individuals and smaller businesses to contribute according to their means.
He said another pledging session would be held on September 28 to assess progress towards meeting the funding requirement.
The E10.7 million requirement represents the estimated cost of Eswatini’s hosting responsibilities, including catering for selected ministers and heads of delegation.
The government has not presented the expected tourism and business activity as a direct recovery of that amount, but Tshawuka said the summit would bring economic activity beyond the agricultural discussions.
The event is also expected to put additional demand on transport and related services as delegates move between accommodation and the summit venue.
For Eswatini’s agriculture industry, however, the economic case for the summit extends beyond the three days of increased visitor spending.
Tshawuka said the meeting would focus on seed access, appropriate varieties, agricultural production and preservation of genetic resources, issues that directly affect farmers and the productivity of the agricultural sector.
He said changing weather patterns and the possibility of El Niño made access to suitable and resilient seed varieties increasingly important.
“Everything in agriculture starts with seeds,” Tshawuka said.
The summit will bring African countries and development partners together to discuss the availability of seed varieties suited to different agricultural conditions and the preservation of genetic resources.
For Eswatini, the discussions could also provide an opportunity to raise issues affecting its own farmers and agricultural businesses.
Tshawuka said stakeholders should use engagements around the summit to identify issues they want addressed so that the country’s participation in the continental discussions remains connected to challenges faced by farmers.
The government also sees the gathering as an opportunity to demonstrate Eswatini’s capacity to host international events.
The next fundraising session on September 28 will provide the latest measure of how much of the hosting cost the private sector and other stakeholders have committed to cover ahead of the October summit.
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