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ProjectStrengthening Agricultural Research and Extension in Lesotho - TCP/LES/3503 2019
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No results found.The performance of the agricultural sector in Lesotho has been slow over recent decades. Weak institutional structure and human capacity, as well as under-investment in agricultural research and extension, are reported to be among the factors that have contributed to the poor performance of the sector and its contribution to the national economy. Past assessments shed light on a number of challenges facing agricultural research and extension in the country. Of critical importance were the absence of a national policy for research and extension, weak institutional structure, limited human capacities, declining core funding and obsolete infrastructures, weak linkages and coordination of research and extension across agricultural and rural development line ministries, limited collaboration with regional and international research and extension organizations, and an outdated extension model and policy. The project had two objectives: to strengthen capacities for coordinated research and extension, and to develop a national policy for agricultural research and extension, and a strategic plan for its implementation. It was designed to overcome some of the functional capacities (e.g. capacity to collaborate, capacity to engage in strategic and political processes, capacity to navigate complexity, capacity to reflect and learn), and challenges of collaboration and coordination, as well as policy challenges. -
ProjectTechnical Support for the Establishment of the Lesotho Soils Information System (LESIS) - TCP/LES/3602 2020
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No results found.Lesotho is a landlocked country completely surrounded by the Republic of South Africa More than 76 percent of the country’s population lives in rural areas, where the main source of income is subsistence rain fed agriculture Land use patterns in Lesotho have been mainly determined by historical circumstances and agro ecological conditions In the past, hilltops and mountain sides were used as fortresses and many settlements were confined to these strategic locations, while flat plains and fertile valleys were used for crop farming and remote mountains for grazing This has largely remained the pattern of land use in the country although population pressure and urbanization have forced widespread encroachment of settlements in areas traditionally reserved for agriculture The shortage of arable agricultural land has also tended to concentrate cultivation on mountain slopes, with devastating results for slope and soil stability, a decrease in the quality of rangelands and reduced agricultural productivity The country’s soils are thus under severe pressure as a result of natural conditions and human activities, triggering soil erosion, land degradation and depletion of soil organic matter Soil data in Lesotho are limited and the lack of systematic and organized soil information impedes the management and monitoring of soil properties. -
ProjectEstablishment of a Lesotho National Farmer Registry and Electronic Voucher Management System - TCP/LES/3701 2022
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No results found.Agriculture is the primary source of income and employment in Lesotho, with 65 8 percent of the population living in rural regions as of 2016 However, in favorable crop years Lesotho can only meet 30 percent of its annual cereal requirement and recently its agricultural production has declined further Floods, droughts, frost, fluctuating meteorological conditions, and a shortened growing season all contribute to lower agricultural output and yields Soil erosion as well as falling agricultural investments aggravate this challenging situation As a result, the country highly relies on importation to meet the food needs of its population The poor and most vulnerable households are significantly impacted by the declining agricultural productivity with their ability to recover from climate related shocks also diminishing These deplorable conditions were outlined when the country experienced one of the worst droughts in its history, affecting approximately 680 000 people in 2015 and 2016 Today, an estimated 57 percent of the population lives in poverty, earning less than USD 1 a day Lesotho also has a high malnutrition rate, with 33 percent of children under the age of five being stunted.
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