Movers & Shakers

Alida Matsa, a poultry farmer from Ha Mptipa, Kolonyama in the Leribe district, has emerged as one of Lesotho’s rising agricultural voices at the prestigious Global Farmer Network (GFN) Roundtable. Her journey, from raising chickens in a small backyard shack in Leribe to participating in the prestigious Global Farmer Network (GFN) Roundtable and Training Programme…

Innovation is increasingly becoming one of Lesotho’s most urgent survival tools as young entrepreneurs race to develop homegrown solutions to food insecurity, climate change, unemployment and digital exclusion. At the Lesotho Innovation Challenge 2026, that reality came sharply into focus as 22 young innovators pitched practical ideas to reshape the country’s future through technology, agriculture,…

For many people and even farmers, failure often marks the end of a dream, but for Malawian agripreneur Tawonga Nyirenda, failure became the beginning of a purpose that is now transforming how farmers think about waste, livestock feed and sustainable agriculture across Africa. Today, Nyirenda is the founder of SeedBiz, an agricultural enterprise using Black…

When you arrive at Thabana-Mokhele in Botha-Bothe in the late afternoon, the farm does not announce itself loudly. It unfolds gradually, green rows of vegetables, the steady movement of chickens and a quiet rhythm of work that seems to run on instinct rather than instruction. In the middle of it all is ‘Maatlehang Matjelo, moving…

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…

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…

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…

In a bid to strengthen agricultural productivity and knowledge-sharing, Thuso Initiative has introduced a free digital platform designed to support crop and livestock farmers throughout Lesotho. The initiative provides farmers with access to agricultural advice, learning resources, and practical guidance tailored to local conditions, and is available in both Sesotho and English to ensure wide…