Factors Affecting Profitability of Smallholder Vegetable Farmers in the Shiselweni Region, Kingdom of Eswatini (Swaziland)

Agriculture is the main anchor of the Eswatini economy and profitability in this sector still remains vital for sustainable development of the economy. This study investigated the factors affecting profitability of smallholder vegetable farmers in the Shiselweni region. Primary data was obtained using a structured questionnaire and personal interviews from 60 vegetable farmers. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, enterprise budget, profitability ratios and multiple linear regression models. The SPSS software was used. The results showed that the mean age of the vegetable farmers was found to be 50.5 years, the mean household size was 8 people, mean farming experience was 3 years, mean farm size was 3 hectares and the majority of the farmers had high school education. The net income of smallholder vegetable farmers was E5810.30. The results of the multiple linear regression analysis revealed that land size, gender, household size, had a direct relationship with profitability of vegetable production while age, education, experience, income and labour had a negative relationship. Farmers requested that the subsidized farm inputs should arrive on time, new engines be bought for them and dams be constructed to generate irrigation water in winter.