November 23, 2009 − Lubombo, Swaziland − On November 23, 2009, IRD hosted a field visit to launch the three-year Reduction of Drought Vulnerabilities in Southern Swaziland program, funded by USAID/OFDA. The U.S. Ambassador to Swaziland, Earl Irving, the USAID/OFDA Principal Regional Advisor Southern Africa Regional Office, Harlan Hale, and Swaziland government officials from the Ministries of Education, Water and Natural Resources, Health, and Agriculture visited sites where farmers are practicing conservation agriculture and are producing vegetables in backyard and community gardens. Ambassador Irving was impressed with how the farmers have been empowered to mitigate the effects of the drought conditions, which are prevalent in the lowveld. The delegation also visited a school water, sanitation, and hygiene project where IRD installed an improved rain water harvesting system, which is able to capture 110 cubic meters of water, and amount that supplies the school throughout the dry season and beyond.