National Food Security Policy for Swaziland.

The National Food Security Policy for Swaziland is a national policy with a multi-sectoral approach. The specific purpose of this Policy is to provide a guideline for the strategies and measures that must be adopted in order to improve food security for all people in Swaziland and to support related initiatives on reducing poverty, improving agricultural production and marketing, enhancing environmental management, strengthening disaster preparedness, improving health delivery and broadening access to water and sanitation.
The main strategy of this Food Security Policy is to ensure "right to food". Therefore, the fundamental right of everyone to be free from hunger will be exercised without discrimination of any kind as to race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. In order to ensure food security to all people in Swaziland, a sufficient quantity of food of appropriate quality, access to adequate resources to acquire appropriate foods for a nutritious diet, nutritional well-being for which all physiological needs are met, and access to adequate food at all times will be ensured. Food production will be increased particularly in low-income and food-deficit areas to meet the needs of undernourished population. Food supply will be provided in a sustainable way by ensuring sustainable environmental management, improving sustainable use of land and water resources, enhancing research and extension services, improving farm operations and mechanisation, improving agricultural marketing and infrastructure, facilitating access to agricultural inputs and credit, addressing the impact of HIV/AIDS on food production, and promoting the role of women and youth in food production. The coordination of food aid and local production will be improved through a review of the current system, food commercial transaction regulations and efficiency of the management of food aid. Access to common resources, such as land, water, forests and woodlands and sustainable access to adequate nutritious food, inputs and other resources at household level will be enhanced to reduce food insecurity. Public awareness will be raised and capacity building will be enhanced on hygiene and sanitary requirements, food and nutrition standards, food safety, potable water, dietary guidelines, diversified nutritious food, nutritional energy requirements, environmental health, for effective food utilization. The control, prevention and treatment of micronutrient deficiency disorders will be promoted. Reliable food distribution systems will be improved with the establishment of a reliable food distribution information database and a monitoring system. Grain and other food storage facilities and food preservation methods will be improved at the household and regional level. Risk assessment will be conducted on the biosafety of genetically modified products and organisms.
Agricultural production will be increased in an environmentally sustainable and socially equitable manner. Sustainable management of natural resources and protection of the environment will be ensured through public-awareness raising, capacity building, planning of natural resources management, and application of environmental regulations such as environmental impact assessments. Biodiversity conservation will be ensured for food and agriculture by (i) enhancing the diversity of all genetic resources in all types of production, (ii) promoting an integrated approach, (iii) initiating research programmes to maintain agro-biodiversity, (iv) promoting ecological and social services provided by agro-ecosystems, and (v) reducing deforestation.
Rural poverty will reduced through carrying out activities for rural growth such as improving and diversifying arable crop production, supporting maize production, developing an integrated water resources management approach, enhancing livestock production, promoting fisheries and aquaculture, increasing food supply from forestry, and monitoring agricultural production. Rural income will be increased with the promotion of the development of alternative livelihoods such as non-agricultural activities such as handicraft, manufacturing, bee keeping, aquaculture particularly in low rainfall areas, production and processing of indigenous non-timber forest products such as bark, grasses, reeds, edible fruits, wild food, medicinal plants, and tourism and eco-tourism initiatives.
The local agro-climate, labour, and market needs of small-scale farmers will be matched to agricultural input and agroecological technology requirements to obtain higher agricultural productivity.
Measures will be taken in the fields of land and water resources management and environmental management to mitigate the impacts of drought, desertification, storms, and climate change, as well as epidemic human and animal diseases on agriculture and food systems. Surveys and research will be initiated to assess risks and analyse vulnerabilities to various types of disasters. In addition, national early warning systems will be strengthened, with particular emphasis on the area of risk mapping, data collection, remote sensing, agro-meteorological modelling.
This Food Security Policy will be implemented by developing a Food Security Strategy and Action Plan through a consultative and participatory process with all stakeholders.