MBABANE – Thirty-five families displaced by the Mpakeni Dam construction project received support from the Eswatini Water and Agricultural Development Enterprise (EWADE) yesterday as part of efforts to restore lost livelihoods and safeguard food security.
The resettled households, whose farmland was affected by the ongoing development, were each given maize quantities equivalent to the land they lost. The maize distribution complements a broader support package already provided to the families.
According to EWADE, each household has benefited from farming inputs including 300kg of basal fertiliser, 200kg of top-dressing fertiliser, 25kg of maize seed, four litres of herbicide, and three kilograms of pesticide. Free tractor services were also provided for land preparation and planting. 
To further diversify their food sources and potential income streams, families received 50 seedlings each of tomatoes, onions, spinach, green pepper, beetroot, and lettuce.
The Mpakeni Dam is under construction in northeastern Eswatini, and its development has required the relocation of several communities. EWADE says the support aims to ensure these families can rebuild their agricultural activities without delay.
