Water Harvesting Small and Medium Dams Project (WHDP)
Name of Coordinator of the grant Samson S Sithole contract: Name and tittle of Contact person: Ray Gama (LUSIP Manager) Mawenzi Dlamini (Business Analyst) Winile Hlatshwayo (Community Development Team Leader) Name of beneficiary in the Action: ESWADE
Title of the Action: Community and Business Development Support for the WHDP Contract number: PE/WHDP/GC/01 Reporting Period: 01 December 2018 – 30 November 2019 Target country/Regions: Kingdom of Eswatini/Hhohho, Manzini & Shiselweni Target Groups: 18 Groups comprising of 239 females and 214 males Country in which the activities take place: Kingdom of Eswatini
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. ASSESSMENT OF IMPLEMENTATION OF ACTION ACTIVITIES ...... 3 1.1 Executive summary of the Action ...... 3 1.2 Results and Activities ...... 3 1.2.1 Result 1 - Water storage capacity is increased ...... 3 1.2.2. Result 2 - Production capacity of smallholders enhanced...... 4 1.2.3. Result 3 - Institutional capacity strengthened ...... 6 2. REVISED LOG FRAME AND CONTRACTS AWARDED ...... 6 3. UPDATED ACTION PLAN (1 December 2019 TO 30 NOVEMBER 2020) ...... 6 4. BENEFICIARIES/AFFILIATED ENTITIES, AND OTHER COOPERATION ...... 6 5. VISIBILITY ...... 6 Appendix 1 – Report for the presentation of Conceptual Designs to Communities ...... 8 Appendix 2 –Financial Report ...... 11
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LIST OF ACRONYMS ESWADE Eswatini Water and Agricultural Development Enterprise EU European Union LUPD Land Use and Planning Department NAMBoard National Agriculture Marketing Board NO. Number S O Specific Objective T4T Training for Transformation TAs Traditional Authorities WHDP Water Harvesting Small and Medium Dams Project
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1. ASSESSMENT OF IMPLEMENTATION OF ACTION ACTIVITIES
1.1 Executive summary of the Action
The Project has recorded significant progress under result 1 and 2. However, delays in the finalization of project designs (upstream and infield) has negatively affected the implementation of most project activities. This is mainly because most of the activities are dependent on the finalisation of the designs. Nonetheless, the Project managed to achieve the following during the reporting period; Community awareness meetings in 6 schemes, Presentation of infield designs to 9 schemes, 6 groups formed, 6 schemes profiled & 4 schemes beneficiaries profiled, Trainings for transformation for 5 schemes, Constitution development and reviews in 6 schemes, Registration of 6 farmer groups and, Financial viability analysis for 40 schemes was done.
1.2 Results and Activities
1.2.1 Result 1 - Water storage capacity is increased 1.2.1.1. Indicator 1 – No. of community-signed off project agreements – Target (18) By close of the reporting period, there were no community agreements signed. This is mainly because upstream designs had not been presented to the communities by close of the reporting period and infield designs are awaiting approval by community traditional authorities. Below is a list of activities done during the reporting period prior to the communities being required to sign off agreements. 1.2.1.1.1 Facilitate community awareness meetings -Target (8) Community awareness meetings serve the purpose of introducing and explaining the project and its requirements to the communities and schemes. Under the reporting period, the project facilitated six (6) community awareness meetings to introduce the project at Nkamanzi (Mbekelweni), Mavulandlela, Nkamanzi (Mabhudlweni), LaMgabhi and Mabhudlweni (Sandleni) scheme. The project also facilitated community meetings for the presentations of infield designs1 for (9) schemes under Lot 1 (Mancubeni, Lombewu, Meleti, Buhlungu, Mhlangeni, Mswati, Mgubudla, Mkhovu and Sandlane). Further to that, meetings were facilitated for schemes which were identified to have increased areas earmarked for production. These were meant to facilitate
1 See appendix 1 for a detailed report on the meeting outcomes of the infield designs presentations.
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1.2.2. Result 2 - Production capacity of smallholders enhanced
1.2.2.1 Indicator 1 - No. of farmer / business groups with appropriate governance and registration - Target (18) 1.2.2.1.1 Training for Transformation-Target (10) Under this activity five (5) trainings for transformation were conducted in five schemes namely Nkamanzi-Mbekelweni, Nkamanzi-Mabhudlweni, Mhlangeni, Mavulandlela and Ndlalambi farmers. The trainings were attended by a total of 90 participants which include 48 males and 42 females. Topics covered during the training included; Decision making Conflict resolution Leadership Socio-economic rights Sustainable development Group dynamics Group formation Communication Gender mainstreaming Constitution review
2 See appendix 1 for a detailed report on the deliberations and outcomes of these meetings
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1.2.2.1.2 Development and review of constitutions- Target (10) Under this activity six (6) constitutions were developed and reviewed for six farmer groups. These were for Meleti, Lombewu, Sandleni, Buhlungu, Mhlangeni and Mancubeni. Constitutions for 4 schemes are still under review (Nkamazi-Mbhekelweni, Nkamanzi-Mabhudlweni, Ndlalambi and Mswati). 1.2.2.1.3 Registration of farmer schemes- Target (14) Six (6) farmer schemes were registered under the reporting period and these were; Phaphamani Meleti Multi-purpose cooperative, Ndlalambi Farmers’ Cooperative, Nkamanzi Mabhudlweni Multi-purpose cooperative, Mbekelweni multi-purpose cooperative, Mancubeni and Inqaba YemaSwati.
1.2.2.2 Indicator 2-No. of business plans adhering to good agricultural practices and marketing adopted -Target (18) 1.2.2.2.1 Business plan development training-Target (10) Business plan development trainings were conducted for four schemes namely Nkamanzi- Mbekelweni, Nkamanzi-Mabhudlweni, Mavulandlela and Ndlalambi farmers. A total of 90 participants were trained, these constituted of 48 males and 42 females. Topics covered include; Business plan principle and development Business model and funding requirements Farm plan development Value-chain Record keeping Conducting effective meetings
1.2.2.2.2 Development of Business Plans and Farm plans-Target (18) During the reporting period, ten (10) draft farm plans and business plans were prepared. These could not be finalized pending the finalization of infield designs. The farm plans and business plans were developed for Mancubeni, Buhlungu, Meleti, Sandlane, Mkhovu, Mhlangeni, Mswati, Mgubudla, Nkwene and Nyelele. To finalize the business plans, final infield designs that are signed off by the community are required as they have information required for finalization of business plans e.g. area to be planted under production, type of irrigation system(s) etc. During the reporting period, financial viability analysis for 40 schemes was also done and a presentation held with the project implementing teams to discuss the findings of the viability analysis and their implications to the operating models to be used under the project by the schemes.
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1.2.3. Result 3 - Institutional capacity strengthened
1.2.3.1 Indicator 1-No. of WUGs with functioning committees trained on Governance and O&M - Target (10) No Water User Groups were formed during the reporting period pending the finalization of in field designs. There was also no development of constitutions for WUGs during the period due to no WUGs formed. 1.2.3.2 Indicator 2-No. of farmers/groups with access to appropriate finance -Target (10) No workshops for farmer groups with financial institutions were conducted during the reporting period. This was mainly because business plans for farmer groups were still not finalized (drafts).
2. REVISED LOG FRAME AND CONTRACTS AWARDED There were no changes to the log frame as well as contracts (works, supplies, services) above € 60 000 awarded for the implementation of the action during the reporting period.
3. UPDATED ACTION PLAN (1 December 2019 TO 30 NOVEMBER 2020) The team is yet to get approval from the draft action plan submitted for the upcoming fiscal year.
4. BENEFICIARIES/AFFILIATED ENTITIES, AND OTHER COOPERATION The Project is working well with the Land Use Planning Department (LUPD) from the Ministry of Agriculture. The organisation is also working well with other organisations involved in implementing the action (e.g. NAMBoard). Synergies have been developed which have resulted in the planning and implementation of activities simultaneously (particularly trainings), this has improved the efficiency and effectiveness of Project implementation.
5. VISIBILITY
Visibility of the EU contribution is being ensured during the implementation of activities in the action.
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Name of the contact person for the action:
Samson S. Sithole Signature: ……………………………………… Location: ………………….…………………… Date report due: ……………………...…………
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Appendix 1 – Report for the presentation of Conceptual Designs to Communities
1. Detailed report on community meetings for presentation of conceptual designs. Below is a summary of the meetings also highlighting the outcome from each meeting:
Mkhovu: meeting date: 4 June 2019 Attendance: Male 21, Female 21 (3 youth members) Meeting outcome: Shareholders approved and accepted the designs. The next presentation of the designs will be done for the TA’s.
Mswati: meeting date: 4 June 2019 Attendance: Male 10, 19 Females (1 Youth member) Meeting outcome: The infield designed included an additional area which is not part of the scheme and is used by individuals who are not members of Mswati multipurpose cooperative. The meeting agreed that discussions should be held between the two groups to explore possibilities of merging.
Maguduza: meeting date:6 June 2019 Attendance: Males 4, Females 5 (1 Youth member) Meeting outcome: Shareholders accepted the presented designs however, there is an area that was designed as an extension of the initial scheme (which was deemed to have low hectarage) which still requires the approval of the TA. The scheme has been tasked to seek such permission.
Sigombeni: meeting date: 17 June 2019 Attendance: Males 22, Females 19 (5 Youth members) Meeting outcome: The design was approved by the scheme. However, there were homesteads that were found to have been excluded from the design yet they are part of the scheme. The next step will be to go back to the drawing board to ensure that all homesteads that are part of the scheme are included in the designs.
Meleti: meeting date: 17 June 2019 Attendance: Male 16, Females 10 (4 Youth members) Meeting outcome: Shareholders approved/accepted the design presented. The next is presentation of the design to the TA.
Mancubeni: meeting date: 18 June 2019 Attendance: Males 23, females 12 (3 Youth members) Meeting outcome: Shareholders approved/accepted the design presented. The next presentation of the design will be done for the TA.
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Buhlungu: meeting date: 06 June 2019 Attendance: Males 14, Females 9, (1 Youth) Meeting outcome: The design was not approved by the scheme as in included an area claimed to belong to LaMgabhi and assumed/implied that they were one scheme. There was also an exclusion of some members of Buhlungu scheme in the design. These are the members that were initially been identified to have homestead gardens.
Mhlangeni: meeting date: 06 June 2019 Attendance: Males 14, Females 10 Meeting outcome: Shareholders approved/accepted the design presented. The next is presentation of the design to the TA.
Mgubudla: meeting date: 04 June 2019 Attendance: Males 16, Females 4 Meeting outcome: The infield designed included an additional area which is not part of Mgubudla and is used by individuals who are not members of the scheme. The area is said to belong to the TA and the meeting agreed that discussions should be held between the two groups to explore possibilities of merging and that the TA should be approached to request official use rights for the land.
2. Detailed report on earmarked extensions for development.
. Mswati: The team met with the Mswati Multipurpose Cooperative BoD and representatives of the farmers working in the area earmarked as Mswati extension. All the parties were in agreement that they have no intention to merge or form a single entity, they are only in partnership and will cooperate where the supply of water is concerned. The group using the extension stated that they are mostly individual farmers and a scheme called Ntfonjeni Siyatfutfuka, who are using land belonging to others i.e. borrowed fields. There has been an attempt in the past to merge the Mswati scheme with the individual farmers for the rice production project which was rejected by the owners of the land in the area earmarked for extension and they still maintain this position. Profiling of the individual farmers has not been done as their leadership has been unable to organise a meeting with the group.
. Buhlungu: Inqaba Yemaswati multi project association has agreed to work with the group from LaMgabhi as one entity. However, the scheme is of the view that such a merger should not be initiated by themselves and that they are not in a position to approach the TA regarding this matter. Information gathered about the LaMgabhi extension of Buhlungu scheme through the Bucopho is that there is currently no scheme in the area. The land identified as the extension of Buhlungu scheme belongs to the
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LaMgabhi TA and this piece of land was previously allocated to another project from the Ministry of Agriculture. The project name is said to be Sibuko, However the LaMgabhi community has been able to come up with a list of individuals who will be given land user rights for land. The LaMgabhi TA has also agreed to join the Buhlungu scheme. The issue of the Buhlungu and LaMgabhi merger has been reported to the LaMgabhi constituency council to facilitate the merger.
. Mgubudla: Following several unsuccessful planned meetings with the leadership from Mgubudla and those operating on the area earmarked as the extension, progress was made and eventually a meeting convened whereby the TA representative suggested that since individuals farming the area earmarked for extension are currently not organised but just individuals who are using field that have been leased to whilst others are the sole owners of the plots there is a need to select a committee that will be in a position to discuss the issue of becoming part of the Mgubudla rice irrigation scheme and a follow up meeting will be held on the 28th November 2019 to finalise the issue.
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Appendix 2 –Financial Report
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