Briefing Paper

Climate-smart Agriculture in Swaziland

Agriculture in Swaziland is dualistic – divided into commercial estates and subsistence farms, known as Swazi Nation Land (SNL). The commercial sector occupies about 40% of the cultivated land, and generates 80% of the national agricultural commodity value. Swaziland has four ecological zones that show clearly different climatic conditions, ranging from sub-humid and temperate to semi-arid and warm (Government of Swaziland, 2005)
Swaziland’s agricultural sector is the second largest contributor to the economy, and the commercial agriculture sector is dominated by sugar, canned fruit and beef production for export. Key recommendations form this policy brief include: the development of the National Adaptation Plan is a key opportunity to develop a coherent and coordinated approach to climate change, to establish an inclusive, gender-sensitive space that promotes multi-stakeholder dialogue about CSA; to provide immediate and long-term incentives for CSA adoption; to train extension officers in climate change and CSA, as well as participatory methods for knowledge-sharing and to identify ways to diversify the funding base and increase investments in CSA within Swaziland to enable more widespread uptake.