Mbabane- A product can be made, packaged and ready for sale, yet still be shut out of the supermarket shelf.
For many small manufacturers in Eswatini, the obstacle is certification, a requirement that retailers and foreign buyers use to determine whether a product meets the standards for safety and quality.
That gap between producing a product and qualifying to sell it in a formal market is what the INGELO certification scheme is intended to address.
The scheme, commissioned last year by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Trade, is supporting small and micro businesses through the process of bringing their products and production systems into compliance with the standards required for certification.
Speaking on Eswatini Tv Marker View last week, Ncamiso Mhlanga, the Executive Director of Eswatini Standards Aurthority (ESWASA), said the difficulty of obtaining certification had contributed to the small number of locally manufactured products able to penetrate formal retail and external markets.
“Retailers and importers from other countries require that these products should be certified to a particular standard,” Mhlanga said.
Certification, he said, is intended to establish that a product is safe for consumers and suitable for its intended use.
But for some small businesses, the problem begins with the place where the product is made.
Mhlanga said some producers operate from their homes, including kitchens, where manufacturing may take place in conditions that expose products to contamination.
The scheme seeks to move those businesses towards more formal production environments and introduce systems that allow the quality and safety of products to be controlled and demonstrated.
That process can involve checking the ingredients used in a product, dietary requirements and safety limits, depending on the type of product being manufactured.
Testing is another part of the process. The Executive Director said businesses would receive support with product testing before certification could be granted.
Businesses will also be subjected to surveillance audits to determine whether they continue to manufacture products according to the required standards.
Mhlanga said the programme would support businesses in establishing the necessary production systems, implementing them and keeping records that demonstrate compliance.
The scheme is a rolling programme for small-scale producers, meaning businesses that are ready to pursue certification can apply for support.
For local manufacturers, the significance of the programme lies in what certification can unlock: access to buyers who may be willing to sell or purchase a product only after its safety and quality have been independently established.
The immediate challenge, however, remains the same one that has confronted many small producers, turning something they can make into something the formal market is willing to buy.
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