A Brief on HVCHP 
Short for High Value Crop & Horticulture Project, the HVCHP is a highly commercialized agriculture initiative funded by the European Union in the tune of 16.6 Million Euros to assist smallholder farmers of Eswatini in producing crops that are in demand from both local and international markets. Housed under ESWADE, this emerging project operates nationwide with a keen focus on creating opportunities for farmers’ produce to access markets.  
Currently 4 strategically positioned pack-houses in Mphumakudze, Lavumisa, Nhlangano and Msahweni have been constructed by the project as well as 3 cold stores in Manzini, Mbabane and Lobamba lomdzala to achieve this. While the cold stores adapt to crops that are already grown, the pack-houses challenge farmers to start planting crops that are in demand by the market thus adding value to the agriculture economy of the country. In pursuit of the same value, platforms such as AMIS (www.amis.co.sz) further allow for interaction between farmers and markets to ensure that supply and demand of produce is kept balanced.  
 One of HVCHP’s completed pack-houses in Lavumisa 
 
The Sidzakeni Chapter 
Sidzakeni, a budding community of 320 households located in the peripheries of Siphofaneni was relieved recently when the European Union facilitated the signing of guarantee loans between NEDBANK and the French Development Agency (AFD). The guarantee loans are for 6 Farmer Companies (inclusive of Sidzakeni) commanding a total hectarage of 611Ha of planting land. These guarantee loans, where AFD acts as surety, amount to a collective of E25M and are meant to minimize the risks associated with lending to farmers producing other crops outside of sugar cane.