Liapeng Raliengoane
LESOTHO, Leribe – The communities around Kota area in Leribe have commended an increase in food production, through practising among others, sustainable farming methods, thus beating hunger.
This, they revealed at the Resilient Livelihoods exhibition last Friday. The products displayed included vegetables, steamed bread, dried fruits, honey, propolis, wine made from beetroot, reed products, pumpkins, animals, sorghum, beans, tailored dresses and many more.
Food security is defined as the state in which people at all times have physical, social and economic access to sufficient and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs for a healthy and active life.
The purpose of the exhibition as stated by World Vision Lesotho Livelihoods and Resilience technical program manager Moferefere Makutlu was to have producers under one roof to build contacts and meet with service providers and consumers.
“The Livelihoods and Resilience project targets rural and subsistence farming households to promote productive, profitable and sustainable agriculture, services and markets that work for poor communities,” he declared.
In addition, he said they empower parents and children’s guardians so that when they are empowered, they are able to better care and support children.
That through this project, World Vision is also helping communities to be resilient to the impacts of climate change.
One of the beneficiaries, ‘Makhetheng Tsietsi from Lentsoaneng expressed gratitude to World Vision Lesotho for capacitating and providing them with tools to produce food for the benefit of their children.
“We have key-hole gardens, we produce, preserve and sell this food. World Vision will leave our area having made us resilient and sustainable,” she added.
An exhibitor,’Mamakakamela Nkhahle said they are from an association of 14 members and they specialize with steamed bread. That they make all sorts of steamed bread including carrot bread, pumpkin bread, raisin bread and many more.
Another exhibitor ‘Mabofihla Thafeng makes custard, yoghurt and cream.
Menkhoaneng Chieftainess ‘Masempe Selebalo also uttered thanksgiving to World Vision Lesotho for grooming communities to become sustainable. She however, expressed a need for market access.
The April 2023 edition of the Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS) Market Monitor highlights the gradual decline over the past 10 months of global grain and oilseed prices to levels prior to the war in Ukraine. The report suggests that further measures must be taken to ensure that net food importing developing countries receive sufficient supplies in food at affordable prices.
Building Sustained Livelihoods and Economic Resilience for Households is a project implemented by World Vision International Lesotho in effort to improve food security and livelihood of 1008 households to better care and support for children by 2030 in Lesotho. This project has so far helped 1000 farmers in Lesotho.
