Permaculture training brings diversity to Eswatini’s smallholder food systems

Permaculture is a regenerative farming practice that creates food-producing gardens that are also self-maintained habitats. By modelling agricultural plots after natural ecosystems, it is possible to get more out of the land with less inputs. Permaculture is a process that works with, rather than against, nature. The Resilient Food Systems eSwatini project, Climate-Smart Agriculture for Climate-Resilient Livelihoods (CSARL), targets 200 hectares of farmland throughout the country and serves over 15,000 beneficiary households. The objective of the project is to better equip small-scale farmers with the agricultural skills to improve their own food and nutrition security. This is done by focusing heavily on climate-resilient agricultural practices and permaculture techniques.