The Swaziland Environment Action Plan (SEAP)

RECOMMENDED POLICY AND STRATEGY FRAMEWORK

1.3 AGRICULTURAL LAND USE

This policy has a narrower focus than either level one or level two policies, confined to agricultural land use and environment, and is subject to the recommendations of both the national land and environment policy and the rural land and environment policy. Its recommendations should be compatible with other policies at the third level of the hierarchy, for example the Soil Conservation Policy.

ISSUES SUMMARY

Agricultural production

Food security demands.
Overall balance of agricultural systems: crop versus livestock production.
Cash crops versus staple food.
Maize production versus diversification.
Large-scale versus small scale farming.
Commercialization of farming systems on SNL.
Low and unreliable crop yields.
Effects of drought on production levels.

Land tenure

Lack of security of tenure on SNL.
Lack of transparency in land allocation procedures.
Speculative subdivision of TDL farms.

Land use planning

Mismatch between land suitability and actual land use.
Loss of prime agricultural land to other land uses, notably urban.
Shortage of suitable land for agricultural production.
Abandoned arable land on SNL.
Inefficient rural settlement pattern occupying high potential land.
Non- or underutilization of farms, both TDL and purchased SNL.
Lack of integrated planning for purchased Swazi Nation Land.
Inadequate planning and management of water resources.

Management

Low farm management levels.
Inadequate central and household storage capacities.
Insufficient transport and marketing systems.
Uncontrolled use of fertilizers and pesticides.
Obsolete price policies and agricultural subsidies.

Land degradation

Unsustainable land use leading to degradation.
Severe degradation of rangelands.
Bush encroachment on grazing land and fallow arable land.
Erosion and depletion of soil resources.
Inadequate soil conservation practices.

Institutions and support services

Institutional and administrative weaknesses.
Functioning and requirements of agricultural extension service.
Functioning and supportive role of agricultural research.
Insufficient provisions in existing legislation to protect agricultural land.
Lack of finance delivery to smallholders.

SUMMARY POLICY PROPOSALS

Status of Policy

A draft National Agricultural Land Use Policy was prepared in 1994, but has not been submitted to cabinet. A new draft, capturing many of the recommendations of the 1994 draft, should be prepared under this hierarchical structure.

Broad Overall Objectives

The broad agricultural objectives as identified in the eighties relate to improving (1) food self-sufficiency, (2) nutrients levels, (3) exports, (4) employment and (5) rural income. These objectives are all interrelated, in the sense that they all depend on the existence of efficient production systems. There are strong arguments to consider food security as a more meaningful objective than food self-sufficiency. Food security is a complex objective which can only partially achieved within the context of national agricultural production. Overall objectives are redefined as follows:

To achieve efficient and sustainable agricultural production systems in support of economic growth and export.
To make optimal contributions to food security and consumption requirements.
To provide increased income generating opportunities and to secure sustainable livelihoods for farmers and the rural population.

Policy Principles

Many of the policy elements in the Agricultural Land Use and Environment Policy relate to the National and Rural Land and Environmental Policies. There is a necessary overlap to ascertain that the Agricultural Land Use and Environment Policy contains all essential elements relevant to its application.

Agricultural land be used to its best potential for sustainable production.
Highly productive arable land be protected against speculation, subdivision, uncontrolled settlement and undesirable changes in land use.
Commercialization of livestock and crop production be pursued, with diversification towards high value crops.
The central role of the farmer in production systems be recognized and strengthened through the provision of an appropriate decision making environment.
Land tenure arrangements be adapted or changed as a precondition to facilitate introduction of profitable production systems.

Policy Practical Elements

The national and rural policy elements in particular applicable to agricultural policy are participation, environmental integration, land tenure and agroecological zoning (AEZ). The AEZ based priorities are further worked in the following agricultural strategy section. There is a strong interaction between production goals, production systems and AEZ based land use planning.

The environment policy in agricultural production follows the overall national policy and more in particular the soil conservation policy. Detailed policy elements are worked out at the next policy level for specific agricultural land uses, such as rainfed and irrigated cropping, ranching, extensive communal grazing, etc.

Degradation control and land rehabilitation be integral part of all farming systems.
Agricultural production goals be defined in relation to national and household food security requirements.
Agroecological zoning (AEZ) and land suitability be used as the planning basis for spatial distribution of agricultural land uses and production systems, including the allocation of land.
Development of economically viable agricultural production systems be linked to production goals.
Farming systems approach be applied in expanding smallholder opportunities.
Effectively functioning mechanisms be pursued covering the full sequence of food management, storage, transport, distribution, agro-processing and marketing.
Subdivision of agricultural land be strictly controlled to avoid speculation and loss of production.
Conditional leaseholds be established on purchased and other SNL.
An efficient and acceptable balance of the use of water be established between agricultural, domestic and other uses.
Farmers and rural communities be actively involved in the planning and decision making of agricultural land use and management.

Policy Supportive Elements

Administrative structures and institutions be improved for the efficient planning and regulation of agricultural land use.
Necessary assistance and technological support be provided to farmers through specialized extension services.
Agricultural information systems be efficiently organized, maintained and made accessible.
Efficient legislation be formulated in support of agricultural land use policy.
Credit facilities and financial control in agricultural enterprises be improved.
Greater awareness be created in the farming community with respect to sustainable and viable agricultural production systems.

SUMMARY STRATEGY PROPOSALS

General strategic elements

There are different options for agricultural scenarios, depending on the national and regional macro-economic performance. The two main scenarios recognized are (1) a stagnating economy with reduced non-farm income opportunities and increasing demand for food supplies from SNL resources, and (2) a long-term continuation of the non-farm income opportunities growth and decreasing dependence of SNL resources. The first scenario is considered the most likely one.

The central overall objective is to achieve efficient and sustainable agricultural production systems, which include the livestock industry, irrigated and rainfed crop production, and the related forestry industry. Assessment of the present situation shows that large and efficient agricultural production systems in Swaziland are in place, such as the sugar, citrus and forestry industries. There are also smaller production systems and farms with economic and sustainable outputs, as well as communal and traditional activities with a respectable and sustainable production.

However, large parts of the country are not controlled by sustainable production systems, as is evident through low outputs and land degradation. There is an urgent need for improving land use on both communal and private land, guided by clear policies.

Land shortage, land tenure and land degradation are most often mentioned as the major constraints in land development, with the increasing population pressure as the underlying cause. However, there is also a substantial amount of not- or underutilized land, including TDL farms, purchased SNL farms, and also communal SNL. Most problems relate to land management and planning.

Complementary to the national and rural strategies, the general agricultural strategy includes the following elements, with emphasis on SNL development.

To integrate agricultural development and environmental protection.
To ensure the active participation of farmers, and in particular women, in planning and implementation of viable and profitable production systems.
To use the farming systems development approach in changing the current passive role of SNL farming in general and the farmers role in decision making in particular.
To explore opportunities and propose options for developing new income streams.
To promote linkages between agriculture and non-agricultural sectors, especially industry, trade, transport and marketing.
To reform current trading and processing activities to provide optimal services to all producers.
To focus technological support on constraints and opportunities of farm systems rather than on potential yield increase.
To promote sustainable agricultural land use on non- and underutilized communal SNL and purchased SNL farms.
To promote and legally enforce the efficient use of TDL farms.

Strategy for agricultural land use and environmental planning

Land use and environmental planning, especially selection of agricultural land uses, is to be based on land evaluation. Land evaluation results for Swaziland are available in terms of the physical land suitability and crop potential of the agroecological zones and units, including the economic potential of selected crops. For a brief explanation of AEZ approach reference is made section 2.1.2.0 under Rural Land and Environment Policy.

The recommended land uses relate in the first place to improved traditional systems on communal land, but would also apply to commercial production on private land or commercialization introduced to SNL. The basic idea is to promote specific production systems and crops in areas where they can result in profitable economic returns.

In the planning strategy preference is given to crop production systems as these have presently higher returns than traditional animal husbandry. Ranching and extensive communal grazing could be equally important to crop production, provided animal production systems are improved and commercialized. Summary land use recommendations are already incorporated at the national and rural policy levels.

To apply the agroecological zoning (AEZ) approach with the following recommendations for agricultural land use based on land suitability and gross margins.

Highveld

Improved rainfed field cropping (sunflower, maize, potato);
Rainfed tree cropping (apple, pear, plum, peach, avocado);
Extensive communal grazing (on steeper parts).

Upper Middleveld/upper part Lebombo

Improved rainfed field cropping (maize, groundnut, cotton, sunflower, cowpea);
Rainfed tree cropping (mango, granadilla, cashew, pecan nut, tung nut);
Extensive communal grazing (on steeper parts).

Lower Middleveld/lower part Lebombo/northern Lowveld

Irrigated tree and field cropping (citrus, banana, sugar cane, vegetables, maize, cotton, groundnut, wheat, potato);
Extensive communal grazing;
Improved rainfed field cropping (groundnuts, cotton).

Southeastern Lowveld

Irrigated tree and field cropping (as Lower Middleveld);
Extensive communal grazing.

Strategy elements to commercialize agricultural production systems

A proper strategy for commercialization of production systems on SNL can only be worked out after the production goals have been defined in connection with the food security strategy (national, regional, international). Also the role of TDL needs be defined in the context of food security.

Commercialization of SNL production will require substantial investments, also in infrastructure. A consequence of intensification and commercialization on SNL will be a drastic reduction of traditional and communal land use practices.

Land tenure

A precondition for commercialization on SNL is to provide for changes in the land tenure system to ensure security of land holding and provision of a collateral for credit.

There are various possibilities, depending on present tenure arrangements. One option is to privatise SNL (purchased or communal). This could be a localized option, in selected areas with specific conditions or constraints, or requiring large investments.

More feasible and acceptable would be leasehold arrangements on purchased or communal SNL. Compensation is to be part of such arrangements, e.g. as a lump sum or through land made available elsewhere. Compensation options in the case of reduction of the communal grazing area are incentives for direct destocking or provision of grazing land elsewhere, e.g. government farms or underutilized communal land in the Lowveld.

To change current individual and communal SNL tenure arrangements, for example by introducing leaseholds.
To define leasehold periods and rental systems (economic or nominal) for leasehold SNL.
To regulate land use and monitor management and production of leased purchased farms.
To introduce restrictions with respect to the use of communal SNL.
To include incentives in the development of SNL, either direct or fiscal.

The clear defining of existing property rights, as referred to in levels one and two of this paper, is a precondition for successfully addressing the tenure aspect of commercialisation.

Commercialized production systems

Commercialization of production systems on SNL may take place on leased land by individuals or groups, or on communal grazing land. A major requirement for commercialization is improvement of the supportive systems from storage to marketing.

To explore smallholder opportunities in commercializing farming, such as:
- irrigated horticulture (including vegetables, flowers, spices)
- arable food crops
- tree crop (citrus, nuts)
- crops for processing (groundnuts, sunflower, sugar cane)
- small stock and poultry
- cattle and game farming
- dairy products.
To encourage commercialization of communal livestock production through changes in the grazing rights, e.g. through introduction of agistment fees (see reference 4.1.1.1.3).
To provide acceptable guarantees for increased economic returns.
To encourage diversification as part of commercialization of production.
To promote adequate technology for food management and agro-processing.
To improve storage and transport facilities.
To improve direct links and opportunities with markets.

KEY REFERENCE MATERIAL

Flory, B. 1987. Constraints to Commercial Agriculture on Swazi Nation Land.
GOS/MOAC/USAID 1991. Farmers' Handbook.
GOS/UNDP 1994. Strategic Issues in Swaziland's Agricultural Development.
Lunogelo H.B. 1994. Identification, Assessment and Analysis of the Social and Economic Factors Influencing Land Utilisation in Swaziland.
Van Waveren et al 1993. Agro-Ecological Analysis of Swaziland: Rainfed Crop Production.
Van Waveren, E. 1993. Agro-Ecological Analysis of Swaziland: Irrigated Crops.

MINISTERIAL INVOLVEMENT

MOAC