How Sugarcane Farmers in Eswatini Are Using Fairtrade Premium

Since 2008, we have partnered with Fairtrade to support small-scale sugarcane farmers. Through sales of our Fairtrade-certified sugar, participating farmers receive Fairtrade Premium funds, which they decide together how to use.

The Fairtrade Premium supports projects chosen by farmers themselves and projects range from cultivating fresh produce and building meeting spaces to improvements that help farmers manage water more effectively.

In 2024, sales of our products generated £3.1 million in Fairtrade Premium, which we paid to 34 producer organisations across five countries.

One of those countries is Eswatini. In 2024, Tate & Lyle Sugars paid around £650,000 in Fairtrade Premium to sugarcane farmer organisations in the country. The funding helped support a wide range of projects chosen by farmers and designed to benefit them and their communities.

Growing Food Close to Home

The Mavalela One Farmers Association used part of its Fairtrade Premium to plant fresh produce.

With local shops around 15 kilometres away and limited transport options available, farmers decided to plant vegetables, and donated some of their surplus harvests  to schools and community kitchens.

Creating a Space for Farmers to Meet

MMN, a producer organisation made up of three sugarcane farmer groups, used Fairtrade Premium to build new offices for its members.

Previously, all three groups shared a single office and sometimes had to hold meetings outdoors when the office was in use. This means that meetings were uncomfortable and could be called off due to bad weather.

Completed in 2024, the new building gives farmers dedicated places to meet and work together. The conference room is also hired out to local community groups.

Making Better Use of Water

The same farmer organisation has also used their Fairtrade Premium to improve their irrigation systems, which helps deliver water to sugarcane crops when rainfall is limited. Farmers invested in upgrades to their irrigation pumps, which pump water to the fields to be dispersed, to make them more reliable and efficient.

According to the organisation, the upgrades have reduced electricity costs by around 20% and lowered maintenance requirements.

Investing in extra sources of income

In Maplotini, an arid region of Eswatini near the South African border, sugarcane farmers are using their Fairtrade Premium to explore new ways of earning an income alongside sugarcane farming.

The farmers have started rearing pigs keeping bees to produce honey, growing crops such as peppers, butternut squash and onions, and investing in a poultry project with 200 chicks.

These activities are designed to provide benefits that continue over time. As the projects grow, they can generate additional income for participating farmers, with profits shared among members.

Chosen by farmers

These stories show some of the many ways sugarcane farmers in Eswatini are using their Fairtrade Premium.

Whether it is growing vegetables, creating communal spaces or developing new farming projects, each initiative reflects decisions made by farmers themselves based on local needs.