Marketing of local Products from the Lubombo Mountains

Strengthening a network of associations for the production and marketing of quality local products

In the Lubombo Mountains in the far east of Swaziland, drought, remoteness and poverty are key problems for the local population. The Non-Governmental Organization COSPE is active in this area for many years and thanks to its assistance, access to water, local markets and schools has improved. COSPE promotes environmentally sound agriculture which is taken up with much enthusiasm by the local population.
The current project is supported by sahee. It aims at strengthening the capacities of beneficiaries on all levels from production over processing to administration and marketing. People in the Lubombo Mountains have started to produce handicraft-artefacts as well as honey and jam of different fruits. They now acquire the knowledge how to organize their production and how to market their products. COSPE will train them in all necessary fields. In one to two years the local association of producers shall be able to work independently and to have developed from an aid-recipient to a local partner. Thanks to a good network with fair-trade organizations in Italy, COSPE is able to grant the producers access to a good international market.