**3. Methodology**

The study was conducted in the Lubombo region of the Kingdom of Swaziland—a small country in southern Africa which covers an area of 17,363 km2 [77]. Both quantitative and qualitative research approaches to data collection and data analysis were employed. Two populations were targeted for the study, that is, the people of the Lubombo region and key informants from relevant stakeholder organizations. The quantitative research design was explanatory and descriptive in nature and was grounded in a cross-sectional socio-economic survey. The researchers selected respondents from all four chiefdoms of the Mpolonjeni constituency. A multistage probability sampling procedure was used to systematically select 411 households (based on a 95% confidence level and 5% confidence interval) from the population of 14,716 and then randomly select one adult individual from each of the selected households (or and oldest child in the case of child-headed households) [2, 53]. A structured filter questionnaire was used to collect data among the 411 household members. The questionnaire was pilot-tested at Ngculwini *Inkhundla,* which was not included in the study area. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the quantitative data. [39] the qualitative approach, on the other hand, entailed a purposive sampling method to select 20 key informants, while an in-depth interview schedule was used for data collection purposes. Data from the in-depth interviews were recorded verbatim after which the contents were transcribed and triangulated with the questionnaire findings [68].

In order to contextualize the findings of the study, we first need to reflect on the important role of marula in Swaziland, particularly from a social and economic perspective.
