Service Contract No 2007 / 147-446 Strategic ... - Swaziland

Institutional ActorMinistry of Labour andSocial SecurityMinistry of Agriculture(MOA)Description / relevance to the NASThe areas of service delivery are the access points to health care, and themode by which the MoHSW provides services to the population. Healthfacilities that exist in the country include: hospitals (7), health centres (12),clinics (162), public health units (8) and 187 outreach sites.Relevance to NAS: Issues include: (1) provision of health services tosupport the sugar industry; (2) health impact of smallholder (cane) irrigationschemes and other sugar sector developments e.g. HIV/AIDS and othersexually transmitted diseases, water-borne diseases; (3) impact ofHIV/AIDS on the performance/effectiveness of the sugar sector; (4)alleviation from poverty and food insecurity e.g. social welfare programmesand substance abuse prevention, with particular emphasis on vulnerablegroups; and (5) environmental health e.g. occupational health at theworkplace.The Ministry is concerned specifically with labour-related issues, and theapplication and enforcement of applicable laws. The Ministry also providesgeneral supervision of a Provident Fund – a voluntary fund for employedworkers (excluding casual workers) that provides old age benefits,permanent disability benefits, and benefits to survivors. For Injury on Duty,there is an employer-liability system, involving compulsory insurance with aprivate carrier – for employed persons in the private and public sectors,trainees, and apprentices, excluding casual workers and certain types ofcontract workers.Department of Social Welfare, whose objectives are: to protect andsafeguard human welfare, with special emphasis on vulnerable groups (e.g.children, the elderly, people with disabilities, women) and other groups inneed of care and special protection; to provide social work services torestore and promote the adequate social functioning of individuals, groupsand communities; to facilitate the development and implementation ofnationally approved social welfare programmes; to empower individuals,groups and communities to be self-reliant; to provide assistance incash/kind to people of limited means and to victims of disasters (natural ornot); and to provide therapeutic and rehabilitative services to restore andpromote the social functioning of individuals and groups.The Social Welfare Department administers the social assistanceprogramme, and Old-Age Grant paid quarterly.The mandate of the Ministry of Agriculture is to transform Swaziland'sagricultural production system from its prevailing subsistence mode to morecommercially oriented production systems through commercialisation andthe diversification of small and medium (S&M) holder SNL and Title DeedLand (TDL) agricultural production.The role of the Department of Agriculture and Extension is to effectively andefficiently disseminate appropriate technologies and workable extensionmessages that will promote household food security and increaseagriculture productivity through the diversification and commercialisation ofagricultural activities, while ensuring community participation andsustainable development of the country's natural resources.The Land Use Planning Section is mandated to plan and monitor theutilization of land and water resources nationwide, particularly on SwaziNation Land (SNL).The Department of Veterinary Services is responsible for Animal HealthServices, Livestock Development and Marketing Services as well as MeatHygiene Services.RDMU (Strategic Environmental Assessment of the National Adaptation Strategy) - Page 142