Fuel Shock Hits the Heart of Farming
…Lesotho’s Agriculture Sector Buckles Under Rising Costs Lesotho’s farmers are no longer just battling droughts…
Cattle Racing Defies Ban Amid Foot-and-Mouth Crisis
…Armed forces mum as politicians continue moving livestock Lesotho’s fight to contain foot-and-mouth disease is being undermined in plain sight. Even as authorities impose strict bans on livestock movement and gatherings, cattle racing competitions continue across parts of the country, organised by popular politicians, raising alarm among officials, farmers and industry stakeholders. The country recently…
Fuel Shock Hits the Heart of Farming
…Lesotho’s Agriculture Sector Buckles Under Rising Costs Lesotho’s farmers are no longer just battling droughts and disease; their biggest fight is now at the fuel pump. A steep rise in fuel prices, driven by global tensions in the Middle East, is sending shockwaves through the country’s agricultural sector, raising production costs, squeezing profits, and threatening…
Big Investments, Dry Taps: Can Lesotho’s Water Projects Close the Rural Gap?
Despite Lesotho’s position as the “Water Tower of Southern Africa” and ongoing investment in major water infrastructure, thousands of rural households still wake up to dry taps. This tension between national capacity and local access took centre stage at the World Water Day commemoration held in Mafeteng on 10 April 2026, where government officials and…
Letsibolo’s Rise Signals a New Era for Lesotho’s Poultry Industry
The rain arrived quietly, settling in a steady drizzle that might have discouraged a less determined crowd. Instead, farmers, officials and partners gathered under a white canvas tent, pulling their jackets tighter and leaning closer to one another, not out of discomfort, but out of shared purpose. There was a sense that what had brought…
Middle East Conflict Sends Shockwaves Through Global Fertiliser Supply Chains
…Lesotho imported over US$9.5 million worth of fertilisers in 2024 For farmers, the cost of war is not measured in headlines, but in inputs. It shows up in the price of fertiliser, in delayed shipments and in the growing uncertainty of whether the next planting season will be viable. The ongoing conflict between Iran and…
How AI Is Powering Predictive Farming in Lesotho
For many farmers, uncertainty has always been part of agriculture, be it about rainfall, soil conditions, pests, or ultimately whether a crop will survive. But a new wave of agri-tech innovation is beginning to change that. In Lesotho, a growing number of farmers are using artificial intelligence (AI) to make more precise, data-driven decisions, aiming…
Climate-Smart Innovation Puts Lesotho in the Spotlight Despite BRICS+ Setback
Lesotho’s emerging innovation landscape received both a reality check and a moment of recognition at the 4th BRICS+ Innovation Summit, where youth-led solutions from across developing economies competed on a global stage. Although the country did not rank among the top-performing nations, a local climate-smart agriculture initiative secured a place among the top three, highlighting…
Edited Grapevine DNA Boosts Resistance to Disease and Drought, Study Finds
Researchers at Stellenbosch University have published new findings demonstrating that targeted DNA editing in grapevines can significantly improve their resistance to both disease and drought, marking a major step forward for plant biotechnology in Africa. The study explored how grapevines respond to environmental stress and infection by using gene-editing tools to modify specific genes associated…
Horse Sickness Outbreak Kills 67
Lesotho’s livestock sector is under renewed threat after an outbreak of African Horse Sickness (AHS) claimed the lives of 67 horses, raising urgent concerns over disease control, animal movement and the country’s overall biosecurity readiness. The outbreak, confirmed by Minister of Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition Thabo Mofosi in Parliament this week, has already spread…
Fuel Shock Raises Alarm Over Lesotho’s Food Security
A sharp rise in fuel prices has sparked concern over Lesotho’s food security, with former Prime Minister Dr Moeketsi Majoro warning that the ongoing Iran–Israel conflict could threaten future harvests. “The US elects its president in 2024, and he takes office in January 2025. In just over a year, missiles rain down on the Middle…
Lesotho Activates National Plan to Contain FMD Outbreak
Lungile Maseela The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has announced a nationwide action plan to contain an outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), which has so far infected more than 10 cattle across Lesotho. Speaking at a recent press conference, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Thabo Mofosi, said the country had not…
Fruit farming gains ground as CAFI scales up horticulture incubation
Seabata Mahao A new wave of opportunity is opening up for farmers and agribusinesses in Lesotho as the Competitiveness and Financial Inclusion (CAFI) Project rolls out the second cohort of its deciduous fruit horticultural incubation programme. The expansion comes as the Government of Lesotho continues to position agriculture as a key driver of economic growth…
