BY: SIBUSISO MNGADI | EDITOR IN CHIEF
MANZINI — Farmers hoping to join the Hamba Ubuye Revolving Fund during the 2026/27 farming season will have to look elsewhere for financing after the Eswatini Water and Agricultural Development Enterprise (EWADE) announced that it will not take on any new farmers because of budget constraints.
The announcement deals a blow to farmers at the beginning of the farming season and has raised concern over the future of a programme that has been viewed as an important vehicle for expanding agricultural production and moving Eswatini towards greater food self-sufficiency.
In a public notice, EWADE said assistance under Hamba Ubuye would be limited during the 2026/27 season because there was not enough money to accommodate new entrants. “Consequently, no new farmers will be onboarded into the Fund during this farming season,” EWADE said.
The door has not completely closed on existing beneficiaries. Returning farmers may still receive assistance, but EWADE said this would depend on the availability of funds, compliance with Hamba Ubuye policies and their loan repayment performance.
Even qualifying returning farmers are not guaranteed the same level of support they may have received previously, with EWADE warning that farming inputs would be allocated according to the funds available.
The decision comes at a critical time when farmers are preparing fields and securing seed, fertiliser and other inputs for the 2026/27 production season.
ESNAU: ‘NOT GOOD NEWS FOR FARMERS’
The Eswatini National Agricultural Union (ESNAU) has reacted with concern, arguing that Hamba Ubuye had demonstrated its potential as an instrument for increasing domestic food production.
ESNAU Chief Executive Officer, Tammy Dlamini says Government should reconsider the level of financial support being provided to the programme. “This is not good news for farmers. We saw Hamba Ubuye as one of the flagship programmes to achieving food sovereignty,” Dlamini said.
He called on Government to find additional resources to sustain and expand the programme rather than allowing financial constraints to limit its reach. “One would really urge Government to dig deeper into her coffers to sustain and grow Hamba Ubuye, as the evidence of effectiveness was there for all to see.”
Dlamini said the situation also raised a broader question about where agricultural production sits among national priorities. “Otherwise, we start asking ourselves about priorities of the country.”
REPAYMENTS CRITICAL TO KEEPING FUND ALIVE
As a revolving fund, Hamba Ubuye depends partly on beneficiaries repaying their loans so that resources can be extended to farmers in subsequent production cycles.
EWADE thanked farmers who had honoured their loan obligations but urged beneficiaries with outstanding loans to settle them, stressing that timely repayment was critical to sustaining the fund and allowing continued support to farmers.
The funding squeeze therefore presents two challenges: Government’s ability to capitalise the programme and the ability of the revolving model to recover money already advanced to beneficiaries.
For aspiring farmers who had hoped to enter Hamba Ubuye this season, however, the immediate reality is clear: there will be no new intake for 2026/27.
EWADE WARNS OF EL NIÑO DRY CONDITIONS
The funding announcement also came with a warning about another potential threat to the farming season — dry conditions associated with El Niño.
EWADE urged farmers to strengthen water conservation and adopt climate-smart farming practices, including better soil-moisture management and production methods that can reduce the effects of dry spells and water shortages.
The combination of constrained agricultural financing and the possibility of difficult weather conditions could place additional pressure on farmers during the new season. EWADE has advised farmers seeking further information about Hamba Ubuye to contact their respective Cluster Managers or EWADE offices.
