Mbuluzi Ecosystems Restoration Project

World Environment Day 2026

Inspired by Nature. For Our Climate. For Our Future.

Today, through the Hlanyela Likusasa Campaign, we celebrate the learners who are choosing to lead by example, the schools nurturing environmental stewardship, and the communities taking action to protect nature for our climate and our future.

Through ecosystems restoration, biodiversity conservation, sustainable land management, and environmental education, the Mbuluzi Ecosystems Restoration Project (MERP), executed by the Eswatini National Trust Commission (ENTC), implemented by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), and funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), continues to support a greener and more resilient future for Eswatini.

Every pledge matters. Every action counts.

Together, we can restore nature, strengthen climate resilience, and build a greener Eswatini.

Strengthening Forest Governance for Future Generations

Strong ecosystems require strong institutions, and today stakeholders took an important step towards strengthening the future of forest management in Eswatini.

The Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Affairs , through the Eswatini Forestry Department , convened a stakeholder validation workshop for the revised Draft Forest Bill, bringing together representatives from government, traditional leadership, civil society, academia, the private sector, and development partners to review and validate the proposed legislation.

Supported through the Mbuluzi Ecosystems Restoration Project, executed by the Eswatini National Trust Commission (ENTC) with funding from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and implemented the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the workshop forms part of ongoing efforts to strengthen policy, legislative, and institutional frameworks for sustainable natural resource management.

The revision of the Forest Bill of 2016 seeks to modernize Eswatini’s forest governance framework to address emerging environmental and social priorities. The revised Bill strengthens provisions for biodiversity conservation, promotes the sustainable management and utilization of forest resources, and integrates social inclusion and gender mainstreaming to ensure that the benefits of forest resources are equitably shared and that all stakeholders have a voice in forest governance.

The revised Draft Forest Bill reflects inputs gathered through previous consultations and validation processes and represents a significant milestone towards establishing a more inclusive, responsive, and sustainable legal framework for the conservation, protection, management, and sustainable use of forest resources.

While restoration activities are often visible through interventions on the ground, sustainable environmental outcomes also depend on strong policies and governance systems. Through Component 1 of the Mbuluzi Ecosystems Restoration Project, support is being provided to create an enabling environment for ecosystems restoration, biodiversity conservation, and Sustainable Land Management within the Mbuluzi River Basin.

Forests are critical for protecting biodiversity, securing water resources, supporting climate resilience, reducing land degradation, and sustaining rural livelihoods. Strengthening the legal framework that governs these resources is therefore an investment in both environmental sustainability and community well being.

Today's workshop demonstrated the value of collaborative decision making, bringing together diverse voices to help shape legislation that will guide the future management of Eswatini's forests for generations to come.

Building the next generation of environmental champions through education.

Teachers from schools within the Mbuluzi River Basin are currently participating in a two day Training of Trainers workshop on the UNESCO Green Schools Initiative in partnership with the Mbuluzi Ecosystems Restoration Project executed by Eswatini National Trust Commission with funding from Global Environment Facility implemented by UN Environment Programme.

Conducted in collaboration with Eswatini National Commission for UNESCO, the Ministry of Education and Training through the National Curriculum Centre and the Eswatini Environment Authority. The training equips educators with practical knowledge and tools to integrate environmental education into classroom learning and school activities.

The initiative is expected to strengthen biodiversity conservation awareness, promote sustainable land management practices, encourage climate resilient learning environments, and inspire learners to become active stewards of their environment. Through the Green Schools framework, schools are also being empowered to connect classroom learning with practical community action, creating long term behavioural change that supports ecosystems restoration and sustainable livelihoods.

By investing in teachers today, we are nurturing informed learners, resilient communities, and a more sustainable future for the Mbuluzi Basin and Eswatini at large.

From field to plate, communities in Nkhaba demonstrated how sustainable agriculture can directly support healthier households, strengthen food security, and improve community resilience.

Through the Mbuluzi Ecosystems Restoration Project, executed by the Eswatini National Trust Commission (ENTC) with funding from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and technical support from the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), community members participated in a hands on food diversification engagement that connected sustainable farming with nutrition and everyday livelihoods.

In partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture Eswatini through the Home Economics Department, alongside the Crops and Horticulture Departments, participants explored practical ways of preparing nutritious meals using locally grown and indigenous crops. The activity demonstrated how familiar crops can be transformed into affordable, nutritious meals using ingredients already available within the community.

Beyond the cooking demonstrations, the engagement highlighted tangible win-wins for households and the environment. By promoting indigenous and climate resilient crops, communities are able to reduce dependence on expensive food purchases, improve household nutrition, strengthen resilience during periods of drought, and preserve agro-biodiversity. These practices also encourage sustainable land use by supporting crops that are better adapted to local environmental conditions and require fewer external inputs.

Lead farmers and community members actively participated in the demonstrations, reinforcing the important link between Sustainable Land Management, food security, climate resilience, and sustainable livelihoods.

The Mbuluzi Ecosystems Restoration Project continues to demonstrate that Sustainable Land Management delivers practical benefits for communities while restoring ecosystems for future generations.

🌍 Earth Day 2026 | Restoring Landscapes, Empowering Communities

The health of our land is the foundation of our future.

Across the Mbuluzi River Basin, communities are taking action to restore degraded landscapes, protect biodiversity, and strengthen livelihoods. Through the Mbuluzi Ecosystems Restoration Project, executed by Eswatini National Trust Commission with funding from Global Environment Facility and technical support from UN Environment Programme, we are seeing how sustainable land management delivers real impact where it matters most.

From restoring soils and improving agricultural productivity to protecting ecosystems and building climate resilience, these efforts are creating win-wins for both people and nature.

But restoration is not only about the land. It is about people. It is about the knowledge held within communities, the leadership of women and youth, and the shared responsibility to care for the environment we all depend on.

This Earth Day, we are reminded that meaningful change happens when communities are informed, engaged, and empowered to take ownership of their natural resources.

Together, we can restore our landscapes. Together, we can secure a more resilient future.

What if climate action started in the classroom?

Across Eswatini, learners are not just planting trees, they are restoring ecosystems, using indigenous knowledge, and turning culture into action through .

Through the Hlanyela Likusasa Campaign, implemented by Eswatini National Trust Commission with funding from Global Environment Facility and technical support from UN Environment Programme, a new generation of environmental stewards is taking root.

Planting More Than Trees: How the Hlanyela Likusasa Campaign is Growing a Generation of Environmental Stewards in Eswatini | Mbuluzi Ecosystems Restoration Project What if climate action started in the classroom? Across Eswatini, learners are not just planting trees, they are restoring ecosystems, using indigenous knowledge, and turning culture into action through . Through the Hlanyela Likusasa Campaign, implemented by Eswatini National Trust Commis...

Citizen Science Training on Use of Mobile Tools to Monitor Restoration – Lomahasha Mkhangala and Shewula Bucocantfombi Rangelands

Community Empowerment in Action: Mbuluzi Ecosystems Restoration Project Visits Lomahasha & Shewula Rangelands!

This week, the Mbuluzi Ecosystems Restoration Project, implemented by Eswatini National Trust Commission with funding from Global Environment Facility and technical support from UN Environment Programme, through its GIS Task Team travelled to the Lomahasha Mkhangala and Shewula Bucocantfombi rangelands to witness incredible community progress on the ground.

The GIS Task Team, comprising of experts from the Ministry of Agriculture Eswatini Department of Land Use and Development, Department of Livestock and Veterinary Services, the Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Affairs Eswatini Forestry Department, ENTC (including Malolotja Nature Reserve and Mlawula Nature Reserve), and the Project Management Unit, worked collaboratively with communities to strengthen restoration monitoring efforts.

After receiving training on ecosystems restoration, rangeland management, Invasive Alien Plant Species (IAPS) control, and citizen science approaches using mobile tools, local farmers have already begun clearing invasive species and are preparing to fence off key areas for improved livestock grazing and land recovery.

Our main objective was to collect accurate ground truth data using drones and Kobo Collect tools. By pairing real time field observations with satellite imagery, we can create detailed progress maps and analysis reports that track restoration impact over time.

A highlight of the visit was handing over a dedicated smartphone pre loaded with Kobo Collect to the farmers. This device allows them to independently measure and map their restoration activities, from hectares cleared to areas fenced, and instantly upload data to a shared cloud system. This enables the task team to monitor progress remotely while placing data ownership directly in the hands of the community.

Importantly, the Lomahasha Natural Resources Management Committee is led by a dynamic Chairperson who is both a woman and a youth, reflecting the project’s commitment to inclusive leadership and the meaningful participation of women and young people in natural resource governance.

Additional benefits include:

1. Stronger community capacity in data collection, mapping, and Monitoring and Evaluation skills.
2. More accurate and timely data to support national reporting processes such as greenhouse gas inventories and REDD+ initiatives.
3. Reduced need for frequent external monitoring visits, saving time and operational costs.
4. Increased accountability and transparency through real time data sharing.
5. Improved grazing management through clearly mapped and fenced areas, reducing overgrazing and allowing vegetation to regenerate.
6. Enhanced livestock productivity as restored rangelands provide better quality pasture.
7. Reduced land degradation and soil erosion as invasive species are cleared and land is rehabilitated.
8. Strengthened local livelihoods through more sustainable land use practices and long term ecosystems recovery.

This is restoration in action, where technology meets local knowledge, and where communities are equipped not only to restore their land, but to track and sustain that progress themselves.

Together, we are turning degraded lands into productive, climate resilient, and sustainable rangelands for current and future generations.