MBABANE – Eswatini’s agricultural and women empowerment agenda is set to gain international recognition as the Founder and Director of the Woman Farmer Foundation (WFF), Sonia Paiva, represents the country at the 2026 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Antalya, Türkiye.
Paiva’s participation at the global climate summit, which begins today, places the spotlight on the contribution of women farmers to sustainable agriculture, climate resilience and rural economic development.
She will participate as an official panellist in a COP31 side event titled “Restoring Land, Creating Jobs: Women Farmers Building Green Businesses Across the Commonwealth.” The session, organised by the Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub (CCFAH), will bring together international leaders, climate finance institutions and development partners to explore ways of strengthening women-led agricultural enterprises.
Drawing on more than three decades of business leadership and grassroots development experience, Paiva will share insights into how small-scale women farmers can move beyond informal production towards commercially viable and climate-resilient businesses.
Her contribution will also highlight the practical relationship between sustainable land management, agricultural productivity and employment creation, particularly in rural communities where women play a significant role in food production.
Showcasing local initiatives
A key part of her presentation will be the work undertaken by the Woman Farmer Foundation through its various programmes aimed at empowering women in agriculture.
These include the Woman Farmer of the Year Competition, cooperative development initiatives and Innovative Climate-Smart Youth Tunnel-Production training programmes. Through these interventions, the foundation has been working to strengthen agricultural skills, encourage entrepreneurship and promote climate-smart farming practices.
Paiva also brings experience from her role as Managing Director of Eswatini Kitchen, a social enterprise that connects smallholder farmers to wider markets.
This experience is expected to provide an important perspective on the challenges facing women farmers, particularly in accessing agricultural finance, adding value to their produce and maintaining a consistent supply to formal markets.
Her participation will therefore provide an opportunity to highlight both the progress being made in Eswatini and the support required to unlock the full economic potential of women-led agricultural businesses.
Driving investment in women-led enterprises
Beyond sharing experiences, the discussion is expected to explore practical ways in which international financiers, development institutions and policymakers can support women-led green small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
A major consideration will be ensuring that funding mechanisms and support programmes are accessible to small-scale rural entrepreneurs, without imposing administrative requirements that make participation difficult for grassroots businesses.
Paiva will join other key contributors, including event moderator Mxolisi Sibanda and Commonwealth Senior Director Suresh Yadav, in discussing opportunities to strengthen support for women farmers across Commonwealth countries.
Her presence at COP31 represents an opportunity to bring Eswatini’s experiences into the international climate change conversation, particularly on the role of women in restoring land, building sustainable businesses and creating employment.
It also places the country’s women farmers on a broader platform, demonstrating that grassroots agricultural initiatives can contribute meaningfully to climate action while improving livelihoods and strengthening local economies.
