Africa-Press – Eswatini. The Ministry of Agriculture has raised serious concern over the increasing number of suicide cases involving the use of agricultural pesticides and chemicals.
In response, the Ministry has received several complaints from the public, urging immediate intervention to address what appears to be an emerging national crisis. Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Sydney Simelane, confirmed that efforts are now underway to tackle the issue collaboratively.
Simelane revealed that the Ministry has engaged key stakeholders—including the Royal Eswatini Police Service, health professionals, and pesticide dealers—to devise strategies to prevent pesticide-related suicides. The stakeholders convened in Ezulwini on 24 July 2025 to deliberate on effective preventative measures.
The meeting was held with the support of the Centre for Pesticide Suicide Prevention, a global organisation which Eswatini had approached for assistance in dealing with the crisis. Simelane stated that even Parliament has weighed in on the matter, urging the Executive to take decisive action as the suicide rate continues to rise alarmingly.
Pesticide retailers present at the meeting reported that they have already undertaken awareness campaigns countrywide to educate the public on safe handling practices. Additionally, they have introduced stricter controls to ensure that their products are sold only to responsible users, thereby reducing the risk of abuse.
Also weighing in on the issue was Thulani Kunene from the police forensic department, who noted a shift in the substances being used for suicide.
“In the past, we saw frequent use of weevil tablets. Now, chemicals like methomyl—commonly known by its trade name ‘Master 900’—are being used more often,” Kunene said. He emphasised that Master 900 is only one of several such chemicals involved in these tragic incidents.
The Ministry’s multi-stakeholder approach marks an important step in tackling a sensitive and complex problem affecting communities across the country. The hope is that through collaboration, awareness, and regulation, lives can be saved and further tragedies prevented.
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