Swaziland’s Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC).

Swaziland’s Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) is a multi-sectoral policy document at national level for the period of 2015-2030. Due to the country's low development status, the INDC of Swaziland did not include a specific target for emissions reduction by 2030. It focuses on adaptation measures, economic development and enhancing human capital. Contingent on the provision of adequate international support and technical assistance, the country has pledged to scale up investments in restoring and maintaining ecological infrastructure.
The INDC supports the achievement of Swaziland’s developmental objectives of sustainable development, poverty eradication and enhanced adaptive capacity. For agriculture sector, Swaziland intends to contribute to: Increase the contribution of agriculture to economic development food security and exports; Reduce poverty and improve food and nutrition security through sustainable use of natural resources, improved access to markets, and improved disaster and management systems. For biodiversity and ecosystem sector, Swaziland intends to contribute to: Scale up investments in restoring and maintaining ecological infrastructure; Establish effective long-term biodiversity conservation, landscape management and natural resource management programmes; Strategically plan and manage the ecological infrastructure, which include healthy grasslands, rivers, wetlands, woodlands and natural forests; Enhance biodiversity and promote ecotourism with benefit sharing surrounding communities. The adaption measures for water sector are also outlined in the INDC, including: Strengthen the capacity of early warning centres preparedness, disaster risks and response; Develop systems to integrate water resource management across all the sectors of human endeavour, land use and the environment; etc.
The INDC also promote the more inclusive and efficient agricultural systems. The identified actions include: livestock selective breeding; micro irrigation; organic farming; ecological pest management; etc.
Climate change is exacerbating the country’s existing challenges which include chronic poverty, food insecurity, the ability to attain the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and the highest prevalence of HIV/AIDS in an adult population in the world. Adaptation measures are identified at the national level and for the key sectors. At national level Swaziland’s contribution is to develop a National Adaptation Plan (NAP) by 2020 with objectives: Identify the level of climate risk given constraints of the country; Reduce vulnerability to the impacts of climate change by building adaptive capacity and resilience; Facilitate the integration of climate change adaptation into relevant new and existing policies, programmes and activities.