Ithabeleng Qhasho
THE government’s delay in allowing traders to distribute subsidised agricultural inputs closer to farmers has raised concerns that the initiative could undermine efforts to ensure timely access to seeds and fertiliser during the summer cropping season.
Principal Chief of Kueneng and Mapoteng, Chief Peete Lesaoana Peete, criticised the government over what he described as a failure to implement a plan aimed at taking agricultural inputs closer to rural communities.
Speaking during the Seante sitting this week, Chief Lesaoana said Lesotho often had sound development plans but struggled to translate them into effective implementation.
He said farmers continued to travel to central distribution centres and resource centres to collect seeds and fertiliser, often resulting in overcrowding and forcing some farmers to spend nights waiting for their inputs.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition had planned to invite agricultural-input suppliers to register with the ministry and renew their trading licences so they could be engaged to sell seeds and fertiliser closer to communities during the summer cropping season.
Chief Lesaoana said traders had already prepared themselves to participate in the programme.
“Back home, I saw that they were ready to sort out their business documents and engage with the ministry so that pricing and everything would be ready,” he said.
However, he said traders were subsequently informed that the arrangement would not proceed this year, following a ministry press conference earlier this week.
Chief Lesaoana questioned the decision, saying it appeared that something was preventing the implementation of an initiative intended to make agricultural inputs more accessible to farmers.
“What I see happening is that the Prime Minister appears to have a strong commitment to strengthening this country. However, there seems to be a stumbling block,” he said.
He further alleged that some officials or MPs could be frustrating the initiative for personal interests, although he provided no evidence to substantiate the claim.
“I am learning that those who are frustrating this initiative, whether they are officials or MPs, are the ones sabotaging this brilliant idea of the Prime Minister by delaying the involvement of traders, perhaps until they themselves register agribusinesses so that they can be the ones selling fertiliser to the public,” he said.
Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition Minister, Selibe Mochoboroane, however, said the government had intended to allow traders to sell seeds and fertiliser to farmers in villages and rural areas.
He said during a press briefing this week that the approach would not be implemented this year after a study and trials conducted in Mafeteng, Quthing and Qacha’s Nek identified challenges that required further consideration before a nationwide rollout.
Mochoboroane said farmers would instead continue accessing inputs through the ministry’s existing distribution arrangements.
“Farmers should come to the Ministry of Agriculture’s district offices with the letters from their supervisors to collect seeds and fertiliser. For subsistence farmers, we encourage them to organise themselves through their respective resource centres and send a representative to collect the inputs on their behalf,” he said.
The National Farmers Union of Lesotho (LENAFU) also warned that the government’s subsidy on agricultural inputs may fail to benefit all farmers if distribution challenges persist.
LENAFU president Khotso Lepheana said various stakeholders needed to coordinate the process to ensure that farmers could access seeds, fertiliser and other inputs without having to travel long distances.
“Different stakeholders like Social Development and District Administrator’s offices should coordinate the process to ensure that all farmers have access to seeds, fertilisers and other agricultural inputs nearby. That cannot be the ministry’s responsibility alone,” Mr Lepheana said.
Commercial farmer Lehlohonolo Tseka of Quthing raised concerns over the timing of the distribution, saying delays could affect the coming harvest.
Mr Tseka said the government had already delayed the distribution of inputs, raising fears that farmers could miss critical planting periods.
He said travelling long distances to collect inputs placed an additional burden on farmers already facing difficulties during the cropping season.
The concerns come after the government subsidised the prices of fertilisers, seeds and other agricultural inputs, with farmers and their representatives calling for an efficient distribution system to ensure that the subsidy translates into tangible benefits for farmers.
The dispute over distribution therefore comes down to a central question: whether subsidised inputs can meaningfully assist farmers if they remain difficult to access, particularly in rural communities.
