Mbuluzi Ecosystems Restoration Project

07/05/2026

From field to plate, communities in Nkhaba demonstrated how sustainable agriculture can directly support healthier households, strengthen food security, and improve community resilience.

Through the Mbuluzi Ecosystems Restoration Project, executed by the Eswatini National Trust Commission (ENTC) with funding from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and technical support from the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), community members participated in a hands on food diversification engagement that connected sustainable farming with nutrition and everyday livelihoods.

In partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture Eswatini through the Home Economics Department, alongside the Crops and Horticulture Departments, participants explored practical ways of preparing nutritious meals using locally grown and indigenous crops. The activity demonstrated how familiar crops can be transformed into affordable, nutritious meals using ingredients already available within the community.

Beyond the cooking demonstrations, the engagement highlighted tangible win-wins for households and the environment. By promoting indigenous and climate resilient crops, communities are able to reduce dependence on expensive food purchases, improve household nutrition, strengthen resilience during periods of drought, and preserve agro-biodiversity. These practices also encourage sustainable land use by supporting crops that are better adapted to local environmental conditions and require fewer external inputs.

Lead farmers and community members actively participated in the demonstrations, reinforcing the important link between Sustainable Land Management, food security, climate resilience, and sustainable livelihoods.

The Mbuluzi Ecosystems Restoration Project continues to demonstrate that Sustainable Land Management delivers practical benefits for communities while restoring ecosystems for future generations.

27/04/2026

What Change Looks Like: A Farmer’s Story of Growth

What does restoration look like beyond the strategy documents and field plans?

In the fields of Mr. Mdumiseni Dlamini, it looks like thriving bean crops, healthier soil, and a renewed sense of possibility.

Under the Mbuluzi Ecosystems Restoration Project, executed by Eswatini National Trust Commission with funding from the Global Environment Facility and technical support from UN Environment Programme, and in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture Eswatini, farmers across the basin are being supported to adopt Sustainable Land Management practices that restore degraded land while strengthening livelihoods.

Mr. Dlamini is one of the farmers leading this shift on the ground. Through the beans support programme, he has applied improved land preparation techniques and climate smart practices that are already translating into visible results in his field.

Beyond improved yields, this approach is delivering broader impact. It reduces land degradation, enhances agro-biodiversity, and builds resilience to climate variability. It is a practical demonstration of how Sustainable Land Management creates win-win outcomes for both people and the environment.

This progress is driven through strong collaboration between project partners, extension officers, and farming communities. It ensures that knowledge and support reach farmers where it matters most.

As more farmers adopt these practices, the impact extends beyond individual fields and contributes to long term sustainability across the Mbuluzi River Basin.

📽️ Watch how change is taking root, one field, one farmer, one season at a time.

22/04/2026

🌍 Earth Day 2026 | Restoring Landscapes, Empowering Communities

The health of our land is the foundation of our future.

Across the Mbuluzi River Basin, communities are taking action to restore degraded landscapes, protect biodiversity, and strengthen livelihoods. Through the Mbuluzi Ecosystems Restoration Project, executed by Eswatini National Trust Commission with funding from Global Environment Facility and technical support from UN Environment Programme, we are seeing how sustainable land management delivers real impact where it matters most.

From restoring soils and improving agricultural productivity to protecting ecosystems and building climate resilience, these efforts are creating win-wins for both people and nature.

But restoration is not only about the land. It is about people. It is about the knowledge held within communities, the leadership of women and youth, and the shared responsibility to care for the environment we all depend on.

This Earth Day, we are reminded that meaningful change happens when communities are informed, engaged, and empowered to take ownership of their natural resources.

Together, we can restore our landscapes. Together, we can secure a more resilient future.

14/04/2026

When Communities Hold the Data, Restoration Becomes Real

In Lomahasha and Shewula, restoration is no longer just an activity, it is owned.

Through the Mbuluzi Ecosystems Restoration Project, implemented by Eswatini National Trust Commission with funding from Global Environment Facility and technical support from UN Environment Programme, the GIS Task Team, comprising the Ministry of Agriculture Eswatini Department of Land Use and Development, Department of Livestock and Veterinary Services, the Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Affairs Eswatini Forestry Department, ENTC including Malolotja Nature Reserve and Mlawula Nature Reserve, and the Project Management Unit, is working with communities to strengthen data driven restoration.

From clearing invasive species to managing grazing areas, every action is now measured, captured, and contributing to national systems such as GHG reporting and REDD+.

The result is simple but powerful:
better managed land, stronger livelihoods, and communities in control of their own data.

🎥 See how citizen science is changing the way restoration is done.

13/04/2026

What if climate action started in the classroom?

Across Eswatini, learners are not just planting trees, they are restoring ecosystems, using indigenous knowledge, and turning culture into action through .

Through the Hlanyela Likusasa Campaign, implemented by Eswatini National Trust Commission with funding from Global Environment Facility and technical support from UN Environment Programme, a new generation of environmental stewards is taking root.

What if climate action started in the classroom? Across Eswatini, learners are not just planting trees, they are restoring ecosystems, using indigenous knowledge, and turning culture into action through . Through the Hlanyela Likusasa Campaign, implemented by Eswatini National Trust Commis...

10/04/2026

Citizen Science Training on Use of Mobile Tools to Monitor Restoration – Lomahasha Mkhangala and Shewula Bucocantfombi Rangelands

Community Empowerment in Action: Mbuluzi Ecosystems Restoration Project Visits Lomahasha & Shewula Rangelands!

This week, the Mbuluzi Ecosystems Restoration Project, implemented by Eswatini National Trust Commission with funding from Global Environment Facility and technical support from UN Environment Programme, through its GIS Task Team travelled to the Lomahasha Mkhangala and Shewula Bucocantfombi rangelands to witness incredible community progress on the ground.

The GIS Task Team, comprising of experts from the Ministry of Agriculture Eswatini Department of Land Use and Development, Department of Livestock and Veterinary Services, the Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Affairs Eswatini Forestry Department, ENTC (including Malolotja Nature Reserve and Mlawula Nature Reserve), and the Project Management Unit, worked collaboratively with communities to strengthen restoration monitoring efforts.

After receiving training on ecosystems restoration, rangeland management, Invasive Alien Plant Species (IAPS) control, and citizen science approaches using mobile tools, local farmers have already begun clearing invasive species and are preparing to fence off key areas for improved livestock grazing and land recovery.

Our main objective was to collect accurate ground truth data using drones and Kobo Collect tools. By pairing real time field observations with satellite imagery, we can create detailed progress maps and analysis reports that track restoration impact over time.

A highlight of the visit was handing over a dedicated smartphone pre loaded with Kobo Collect to the farmers. This device allows them to independently measure and map their restoration activities, from hectares cleared to areas fenced, and instantly upload data to a shared cloud system. This enables the task team to monitor progress remotely while placing data ownership directly in the hands of the community.

Importantly, the Lomahasha Natural Resources Management Committee is led by a dynamic Chairperson who is both a woman and a youth, reflecting the project’s commitment to inclusive leadership and the meaningful participation of women and young people in natural resource governance.

Additional benefits include:

1. Stronger community capacity in data collection, mapping, and Monitoring and Evaluation skills.
2. More accurate and timely data to support national reporting processes such as greenhouse gas inventories and REDD+ initiatives.
3. Reduced need for frequent external monitoring visits, saving time and operational costs.
4. Increased accountability and transparency through real time data sharing.
5. Improved grazing management through clearly mapped and fenced areas, reducing overgrazing and allowing vegetation to regenerate.
6. Enhanced livestock productivity as restored rangelands provide better quality pasture.
7. Reduced land degradation and soil erosion as invasive species are cleared and land is rehabilitated.
8. Strengthened local livelihoods through more sustainable land use practices and long term ecosystems recovery.

This is restoration in action, where technology meets local knowledge, and where communities are equipped not only to restore their land, but to track and sustain that progress themselves.

Together, we are turning degraded lands into productive, climate resilient, and sustainable rangelands for current and future generations.

08/04/2026

An opportunity is open.

We are looking for a Monitoring & Evaluation Officer to join the team.

If you have a strong background in tracking results and measuring impact, we’d like to hear from you.

📧 Apply via: [email protected]

We Are HIRING
Join Our Team

Project Monitoring & Evaluation Officer

For full application details, scan QR or visit https://entc.org.sz/entc-vacancies

Application Deadline
14 April 2026

31/03/2026

From field to plate, communities in Lomahasha Inkhundla are redefining the way they connect with the food they grow.

Implemented by the Eswatini National Trust Commission, with funding from the Global Environment Facility and technical support from the UN Environment Programme, the Mbuluzi Ecosystems Restoration Project continues to create practical platforms that link sustainable agriculture with improved household nutrition.

This engagement took a more hands-on and community-driven approach, where the Home Economics Department led the preparation of diverse, nutritious meals using locally grown crops, while community members and lead farmers actively participated in the process. From sandwiches prepared with indigenous spinach to dumplings made from maize and sorghum, the session demonstrated how familiar ingredients can be transformed into healthy, appealing meals. The activity created a direct and practical link between what is produced in the fields and what is consumed at household level.

The project partnered with the Ministry of Agriculture Eswatini through the Home Economics Department, alongside the Crops and Horticulture Departments, who delivered sessions on nutrition, food preparation, and Sustainable Land Management. These engagements strengthened community understanding of how farming practices, food choices, and environmental sustainability are closely connected.

What stood out most was the active participation from the community and lead farmers, who not only shared their knowledge but also experienced first-hand how to transform their harvest into diverse, nutritious meals.

Through initiatives like this, the Mbuluzi Ecosystems Restoration Project continues to demonstrate that Sustainable Land Management delivers win-wins by improving dietary diversity, strengthening climate resilience, enhancing agro biodiversity, and supporting sustainable livelihoods at household level.

26/03/2026

Today, the Mbuluzi Ecosystems Restoration Project brought food, nutrition, and sustainability to life at Mkhiweni Inkhundla, through a vibrant Food Diversification Display held alongside the Namboard Farmer Road Show.

Executed by the Eswatini National Trust Commission, with funding from the Global Environment Facility and technical support from the UN Environment Programme, the initiative was delivered in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture Eswatini through the Home Economics Department and other local partners.

The display created a dynamic platform for farmers, community members, and stakeholders to engage with practical, hands-on demonstrations showcasing how indigenous and locally available crops can be transformed into nutritious meals. From traditional leafy vegetables to climate-resilient crops, the focus was clear: healthy diets can start at home, using what is already available within our communities. The displays promoted amaranth, African nightshade, okra and jute mallow, focusing is on reconnecting communities with foods that are both culturally relevant and climate resilient.

Delivering remarks at the event, the Project Manager emphasized the importance of linking ecosystems restoration with household food security, noting that sustainable land management is not only about restoring landscapes, but also about improving lives. Phephile Zwane, Nutrition Officer from the Home Economics Department, encouraged participants to embrace dietary diversity by incorporating indigenous foods into their daily meals, highlighting their nutritional value and accessibility.

By aligning with the NAMBoard Farmer Road Show, the event reached a wide and diverse audience, strengthening knowledge sharing while reinforcing the role of indigenous crops in building climate resilience, enhancing agro-biodiversity, and supporting sustainable livelihoods.

Today’s engagement at Mkhiweni Inkhundla is a clear reflection of how Sustainable Land Management delivers win-wins for people, nutrition, and the environment.

23/03/2026

Hlanyela Likusasa at St Florence Primary and High School

The Hlanyela Likusasa Schools Tree Planting Campaign continued to build momentum this week with a visit to St Florence Primary and High School, where learners took meaningful action toward restoring their environment and shaping a more sustainable future.

Through hands on tree planting activities, learners gained practical knowledge on the critical role trees play in providing oxygen, improving soil health, conserving biodiversity, and strengthening resilience to climate change. The session also reinforced how Sustainable Land Management delivers multiple benefits by reducing land degradation, enhancing agro-biodiversity, and supporting livelihoods.

By engaging both primary and high school learners, the campaign continues to nurture environmental awareness across different age groups, ensuring that knowledge and action grow together within school communities.

The trees planted during the campaign were generously provided by the Eswatini Forestry Department, whose continued support strengthens national restoration efforts.

This initiative is executed by the Eswatini National Trust Commission Commission under the Mbuluzi Ecosystems Restoration Project, with funding from the Global Environment Facility and technical support from the UN Environment Programme, in partnership with the Eswatini Environment Authority, and Eswatini National Commission for UNESCO.

Growing trees. Growing knowledge. Growing the future.