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ππππππππ | Ministry Confirms Foot-and-Mouth Disease Outbreak, Imposes Quarantine in Botha-Bothe
The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, through its Department of Livestock Services, has confirmed an outbreak of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) at Mahlase cattle post in Botha-Bothe. Six cattle tested positive after seventeen animals were sampled from the affected herd. The Department of Livestock Services has placed the affected cattle post and its neighbouring kraals…
Mojaki is Engineering Lesotho’s Soil Revolt Moving From Geospatial Data to Earthworms
MASERU- Seth Mojaki, a former lecturer at the Lesotho Agricultural College, has traded his geospatial maps for a microscope and a shovel, pivoting from a career in high-tech environmental monitoring to the ancient biological science ofΒ vermiculture. He is navigating solutions to Lesotho’s pressing challenge of soil degradation, which threatens agricultural productivity. Mojaki’s journey began not…
40 More Young Farmers Receives Inputs to Boost Food Production
MASERU – In a decisive effort to combat youth unemployment and enhance farming productivity, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has provided agricultural inputs to 40 more young Basotho farmers through the Smallholder Agriculture Development Project II (SADP II) at the Agricultural District Office in Maseru. With the first group receiving inputs in November,…
Northern Agri Hub Meets Berea Farmers to Enhance Product Quality for Market
Berea farmers gathered at the Teya-Teyaneng Resource Centre for a consultative meeting with the Northern Agricultural Hub to improve production quality and increase market access. The discussion centred on guiding farmers through the entire agricultural value chain, from production to post-harvest handling and marketing. The Northern Agricultural Hub is a government-established facility designed to aggregate,…
Jean Maurice Associationβs Successful Journey Celebrated
QACHAβS NEK – Songs, ululations and vibrant colours filled the Sacred Heart Convent church yard at Ha Sekake in Romeng, Qachaβs Nek. Jean Maurice Associationβalso known as Barali ba Lerato la Pelo e Tlotlehang ea Jesuβcelebrated the completion of their Smallholder Agriculture Development Project Phase II (SADP II) support. Community members, partners, and officials gathered…
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By Staff Reporter The Farmers Pitso Awards enter a new chapter following the conclusion of a three-year agreement (2026β2028) that places the ownership and management of the awards under Newsday Media, with Seahlolo Newspaper assuming responsibility for organising and growing the platform. This development follows consultations between the founding team of the Farmers Pitso Awards…
Reclaiming Lesothoβs Status as the Regionβs Food Basket
By Seabata Mahao MASERU – As Lesotho prepares for upcoming PublicβPrivate Dialogue (PPD) sessions in 2026, a renewed ambition is taking shape, “Restoring the Mountain Kingdomβs historic position as a leading agricultural exporter in Southern Africa”. The vision was forcefully articulated by Chaba Mokuku, Managing Director of the Competitiveness and Financial Inclusion (CAFI) Project, who…
Feed Prices Stabilise After Mid-2025 Dip, but Structural Pressures Persist for Lesotho’s Livestock Farmers
Animal feed prices, which account for the largest share of production costs in Lesotho’s livestock sector, began to stabilise and modestly decline around June 2025, providing short-term relief to poultry, piggery and dairy farmers who had faced prolonged cost pressures. Throughout much of 2024 and early 2025, rising feed prices eroded profit margins, compelling many…
Juncao Mushrooms, A Potential Export to China
MASERU – Lesotho is set for export growth under the New Chinese Trade Policy, according to the Chinese Ambassador to Lesotho, Yang Xiaokun. This arrangement, the Ambassador said, opens doors for local farmers to export homegrown goods to the People’s Republic of China, potentially boosting the country’s economy and creating jobs. He explained that the…
TRC Microscopes Women Farmers’ Rights
MASERU β The rights of women in agriculture took centre stage last week during a meeting convened byΒ the Transformative Resource Centre (TRC) where multi-stakeholder looked in ways to strengthen partnerships for inclusive agricultural development, specifically advancing the rights of women farmers in Lesotho. Held under the theme “Strengthening Partnerships for Inclusive Agricultural Development,” the…
Cattle Farmersβ Lives in Crisis as Climate Change Fuels Lumpy Skin Disease
Changing weather patterns are no longer a distant warning for cattle farmers in Lesotho, but have become a lived reality, reshaping farming seasons and accelerating disease outbreaks that threaten livestock, livelihoods and the broader agricultural sector. Rising temperatures and increased rainfall are turning what was once a manageable livestock disease into a growing national crisis….
Declining Grazelands Threaten Rural Livelihoods as Farmers Turn to Fodder Production
By Tumelo Taole Livestock remains central to the survival and identity of many households in Lesotho, yet in districts such as Mohaleβs Hoek and Leribe, farmers are increasingly struggling to feed both their animals and their families as deteriorating grazing lands and climate shocks take a growing toll. Once known for its rich grasslands and…