MBABANE – A pool of 17 local trainers is strengthening Eswatini’s capacity to support exporters and businesses with market intelligence.
This is as the country seeks to expand and diversify its export base.
The initiative is being supported by the European Union (EU) and the International Trade Centre (ITC) under the Eswatini: Promoting Growth through Competitive Alliances programme, funded by the EU and implemented by ITC in partnership with government.
The 17 trainers have been equipped with skills to use ITC market analysis tools and apply the information within their respective institutions to support micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), exporters and other stakeholders.
The trainers represent a cross-section of Eswatini’s trade and enterprise support ecosystem, including the Eswatini Investment Promotion Authority (EIPA), Royal Science and Technology Park (RSTP), academia, Small Enterprises Development Company (SEDCO), government institutions, capacity-building organisations and non-governmental organisations such as the COMESA Federation of Women in Business (COMFWB) Eswatini.
The programme seeks to strengthen local expertise so that businesses can access market information and turn trade data into practical decisions on exports, markets and products.
The support is already being applied at EIPA, where market intelligence tools are being used to analyse trade trends, identify emerging export opportunities and provide businesses with evidence-based information.
EIPA Manager: External Trade Promotion Thandeka Dlamini said the tools had become an important resource in the authority’s work with existing and prospective exporters.
“We are using the Trade Map tool to develop market insights and analyse trade trends because we work directly with traders who come to us looking for information and opportunities. Instead of simply giving them data, we are able to interpret that information and present it in a way that can support their business decisions,” Dlamini said.
She said EIPA had already used the tools to develop market insights on trade between Eswatini and key export markets, helping businesses gain a better understanding of opportunities in those markets.
The tools have also been used to assess developments in the textile sector during periods of uncertainty affecting access to some export markets.
“By examining available trade data, EIPA has been able to provide businesses with information that can help them understand market shifts and explore alternative opportunities,” Dlamini said.
According to Dlamini, the ability to analyse market information is particularly important as businesses seek to respond to changes in international markets.
Rather than relying solely on historical export patterns, EIPA is using trade intelligence to identify products that could provide additional opportunities for export growth.
Eswatini’s traditional export products include sugar, textiles, wood and chemical products. However, Dlamini said the market analysis tools were enabling EIPA to look beyond these established products and identify products showing growth potential.
“We are looking beyond the products that have traditionally dominated Eswatini’s exports and identifying other products that are showing growth. This enables us to show businesses that there are additional opportunities they can explore for export expansion and diversification,” she said.
The ITC tools allow users to examine export performance over several years, compare markets and products, identify growth trends and better understand market access conditions.
For entrepreneurs, such information can provide a stronger basis for decisions on where to sell products, which markets to target and which products may have potential for expansion.
It can also assist businesses in understanding the requirements associated with different international markets before committing resources towards export activity.
Dlamini said maintaining the skills of the 17 trainers would be important in ensuring that the benefits of the programme continued beyond the formal training sessions.
“The objective is to ensure that the knowledge among all 17 trainers remains active. Even when we are not formally delivering training, we can continue using these tools within our respective organisations, responding to enquiries, analysing opportunities and supporting businesses. The more we use the tools, the stronger our capacity becomes,” she said.
This approach is intended to ensure that market intelligence skills remain within local institutions and continue to be applied as businesses seek new markets.
European Union Policy Officer Bhekani Magongo said strengthening local expertise in market intelligence was an important part of developing a more responsive trade support ecosystem.
“Market intelligence is increasingly important in a global economy where consumer expectations, sustainability requirements and market conditions are constantly changing. By strengthening local expertise, we are helping build a system where MSMEs can access reliable information and practical guidance as they explore export opportunities,” Magongo said.
He said the initiative went beyond simply training individuals to operate digital platforms.
“As certified trainers, they are more than users of the ITC market analysis tools. They are trusted advisers, mentors and knowledge multipliers who can help MSMEs identify export markets, understand those markets better and improve their competitiveness,” Magongo said.
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