Cabrini Ministries has six hectares of irrigated land on which vegetables are grown to provide food to the hostel children and HIV patients. Any surplus produced is sold. Crops include: corn, beetroot, butternut pumpkin, beans, spinach, chilies and tomatoes.

In 2005, the Swazi government invested $9.3 million in the Lower Usuthu Smallholder Irrigation Project (LUSIP). This project is aimed at improving living standards for about 2,500 subsistence farmers by providing piped and irrigation water to small landholdings in the drought-prone areas. A large part of the project involves the construction of a 155 million cubic meter reservoir and canal system. The LUSIP dam project is progressing well and is scheduled for completion in 2010. The dam is a critical component for the future of the St. Philip’s area and the surrounding area. Plans also include the construction of power and telephone lines and upgrading the roads. Cabrini Ministries is participating with HIV/AIDS organizations in meetings to examine the effect that influx of hundreds of workers is having in the area, especially how it will affect the local HIV rate.

The importance of the water initiative was highlighted by a recent story in The Swazi Observer. The article stated that “At least 400,000 people will need food assistance this year, due to the prolonged dry spell and high temperatures that ravaged the country, resulting in farmers harvesting little or nothing this season.” It further stated that “Maize production in 2006/7 is estimated at about 26,000 tons, nearly 60% below last year’s level. This will significantly reduce food availability; while the associated increase in maize prices will severely constrain many household’s access to food, especially as 69% of Swazis live on less than $1 per day.”

The local river has dried up and the continuing drought compounds what is already an ominous picture. One of the ramifications of the drought is that the HIV positive patients on anti-retroviral drugs and TB patients are not eating enough food, and are therefore becoming ill on their medication. Cabrini agricultural advisors are reviewing the situation to decide which crops will best address this problem. Presently, Cabrini Ministries is supporting 450 HIV positive patients with weekly food supplements of vegetables from the gardens. They are also supplying protein supplements of Morvite (a sorghum-based cereal) and peanut butter.

Cabrini Mission Foundation deeply appreciates the generosity of our friends in support of the important work of Cabrini Ministries in Swaziland. To learn more, please continue to explore our website.

The following are links to other stories about Cabrini Ministries currently on our website:

http://www.cabrinifoundation.org/News/sandals.html
http://www.cabrinifoundation.org/News/8000m.html
http://www.cabrinifoundation.org/News/latimes.html
http://www.cabrinifoundation.org/News/nyt.html
http://www.cabrinifoundation.org/News/dir_un.html

William R. Bell
President and CEO
Cabrini Mission Foundation