Agricultural finance intervention in the Kingdom of Eswatini

The contribution of the agriculture sector to the GDP of the country has been declining from a high of 23 percent in in 1980 to an estimated nine percent in 2016 (SME Roadmap Eswatini, 2018).

Access to finance for the agriculture sector can improve employment at a comparatively lower capital cost than the bigger industries, and can address the inequitable imbalance between employ the rural and urban areas. Agriculture is one of the sectors that the Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini (GoE) has prioritized within the small and medium business enterprises, in order for this sector to contribute towards improved livelihoods and employment creation.