Ten Royal Honourees brought farming, veterinary care, community nutrition, agricultural heritage and rural development into the spotlight at the closing gala of Farmers’ Pitso Agriculture Week.
“I know farming is not easy, as it requires patience and dedication, which contribute toward food production.”
With those words, His Majesty King Letsie III recognised the daily commitment behind Lesotho’s harvests and agricultural livelihoods. Addressing the Farmers’ Pitso Honour Awards Gala Dinner at Avani Maseru on 12 September 2026, he praised farmers’ persistence and urged them to keep applying knowledge to the challenges they face.
The evening honoured 10 individuals, families, businesses and institutions whose contributions reach across Lesotho’s food system. Their work connects production with veterinary care, fresh produce markets, community nutrition, conservation, indigenous innovation and culinary heritage.
It was a fitting conclusion to Farmers Pitso Agriculture Week. Over four days, the programme brought farmers together with experts, learners, businesses and development partners through knowledge exchange, a schools agriculture challenge, public exhibitions and awards.
Organised by Seahlolo Newspaper under Newsday Media, led by Lerato Matheka and, the expanded programme gave agriculture a national stage. The Royal gala placed lasting service alongside the achievements celebrated during the week.
His Majesty acknowledged the uncertainty accompanying agricultural production. Farmers commit time, labour and money before they know what weather and other conditions will allow them to harvest.
Speaking about fears of drought, he encouraged producers to remain determined.
“Despite widespread fears of El Niño drought, with all the struggles, it is good to continue and remain persistent,” he said.
He connected that persistence with practical action.
“The issue of El Niño should not be a cause for retreat, but a reminder to implement agricultural knowledge and soil moisture management techniques.”
His message also placed responsibility on the nation as a whole. Farmers need recognition, but they also need the knowledge and means to sustain their work.
“Those who work the land are key to our country’s future,” His Majesty said. “Honouring them must mean equipping them.”
Agriculture Minister Selibe Mochoboroane linked domestic production with national independence.
“Self-sufficiency must be in front of everything; he who feeds you controls you,” he said.
“The revolution cannot be made with an empty stomach, so we must produce first, then consume.”
His remarks gave the evening’s celebration a wider economic purpose. Building the capacity to produce food requires sustained attention to the conditions under which farmers operate, from inputs and technical support to infrastructure and markets.
Guest speaker Dr Mmatlou Kalaba, an agricultural policy analyst from South Africa’s Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy, encouraged the audience to consider Lesotho’s prospects within the wider continent.
“I am deeply honoured and grateful to have been invited to serve as a guest speaker at his majesty king Letsie III’s honour awards, and I thank Miss Lerato Matheka for this opportunity,” he said.
Kalaba argued that smaller countries make an important contribution to Africa’s food security.
“From an African perspective, Lesotho’s story mirrors that of the entire continent; Africa’s food security depends on the contributions of its smaller nations.”
He pointed to Lesotho’s position within regional and continental trading arrangements as an opportunity to look beyond its domestic population when planning agricultural development.
“Lesotho’s agricultural potential should not be assessed by its population size, but rather by its strategic location, positioned within SACU, SADC, and the AfCFTA, Lesotho gains access to a market of 1.4 billion people a huge opportunity for its farmers.”
Those arrangements, he argued, create possibilities that producers should prepare to pursue.
“The African Continental Free Trade Area offers Lesotho an unprecedented opportunity, one that was unavailable a decade ago: to cultivate wool, mohair, grains, and high-value horticulture in its mountainous regions and distribute these products across the continent.”
Realising those possibilities requires producers to understand markets and manage their enterprises with discipline.
“As Africans, we must transition from viewing agriculture merely as a means of survival to recognising it as a viable business, and we need to move beyond farming based on assumptions and embrace precision agriculture, supported by meticulous records, modern technology, and a keen awareness of market demands.”
Kalaba linked that commercial approach to employment, rural prosperity, opportunities for young people, and inclusive growth.
The experiences shared by community representatives showed how those ambitions are already taking shape.
Speaking on behalf of the Farmgirls Network, Mantoetsi Rantoa described women who first connected through Facebook and discovered a shared love of farming.
“We feel deeply honoured to stand at His Majesty’s honorary awards in the presence of his majesty and fellow farmers and stakeholders and share our journey; our journey began when women who did not know each other met on social media, Facebook, united by a shared love for farming and today, we are able to feed the nation.”
Their relationship grew into a collective effort, although the journey remained difficult.
“It has not been an easy journey; we faced many challenges, but we are still standing and continuing with what we love,” Rantoa said.
“This union is about more than producing food; it is about empowering women, creating jobs and completing the food production.”
She thanked supporters and called for partnerships to help the network grow further.
“As farm girls, we are grateful to everyone who has supported us, shared spaces, and we appeal for further partnerships to help us grow into a sustainable national operation.”
Among the Royal Honourees, Manapo Makhele placed her recognition within the community work that made it possible.
“I am humbled and deeply honoured to be recognised by His Majesty,” she said. “This recognition is not only for me; it represents every Basotho who wakes before dawn to plant and cares for the soil.”
“When our work is noticed by the nation’s leaders, it gives us courage to keep going.”
Makhele acknowledged the farmers and nutrition clubs she works with.
“I thank all organisers of the event; our work will now be more noticed not by Basotho only but even international organisations. It was not possible without the farmers and nutrition clubs I work with.”
For Chef Ska Moteane, the evening delivered an unexpected tribute. She had attended to celebrate farmers and found herself receiving recognition for her contribution to indigenous food heritage.
“I honestly have no words as I went to the Farmers Pitso Excellence gala dinner to celebrate our farmers, and instead, I received a surprise I will never forget,” she said.
“Being presented with His Majesty’s Honour Award for Indigenous Food Heritage and Culinary Excellence by His Majesty King Letsie III is an honour that touches me deeply.”
Moteane connected her culinary work with the people who produce and preserve local ingredients.
“My journey has always been about celebrating our food, our indigenous ingredients, our culinary heritage, and the incredible people who grow and preserve them.”
“I accept this honour with immense gratitude and as a reminder that our food heritage deserves to be celebrated, protected, and carried forward with pride,” she said.
The full roll of Royal Honourees reflected that breadth of contribution. Mampho Thulo was honoured for her lifetime contribution to rural agricultural development, while the Machobane family received recognition for agricultural heritage and indigenous innovation.
Mokotso Fruits and Vegetable was honoured for enduring service to the fresh produce market, and Manapo Makhele for community nutrition and food security. Dr Lineo Bohloa received recognition for distinguished veterinary services, while Chef Ska Mirrian Moteane was honoured for Indigenous Food Heritage and Culinary Excellence.
The Southern Mountain Association for Rural Transformation and Development was recognised for rural transformation and community empowerment. Growing Nations received an honour for excellence in conservation agriculture.
Mr Elia Lenyora Mokuoane was honoured for lifetime achievement in poultry farming, and Likhothola Fruit Farm for excellence in commercial horticulture.
Together, the recipients illustrated the many kinds of work required to sustain a food system. Farmers produce; veterinary practitioners protect animal health; markets connect produce with consumers; community initiatives strengthen nutrition; and custodians of agricultural and culinary heritage preserve knowledge for future generations.
Their recognition gave expression to Agriculture Week’s theme: “Celebrating Excellence. Advancing Agriculture. Transforming Lives.”