Nthatuoa Koeshe
BUTHA-BUTHE – Agriculture and food security are essential to any country’s economic development, hence the need to assist farmers to ensure Lesotho feeds itself.
This was said by Chinese Embassy Chargé d’affaires and Political Counsellor, Song Changqing, during the handover of 350 bags of fertilizers and seeds worth M100 000 to needy farmers in Butha-Buthe earlier this week.
The farming inputs were donated by the China-Lesotho People-to-People Friendship Action Fund (CLPPFAF) to 350 families from seven villages in the district.
CLPPFAF was established by the Chinese community in Lesotho with the support of the Chinese Embassy. Over the years, the fund has provided assistance to various underprivileged groups around the country.
Commending the gesture, Mr Song said the donation was timely since the agricultural season had begun and the beneficiary farmers were in need of the inputs.
He said the Chinese government regarded agriculture as an essential sector of the economy and an important area of cooperation with Lesotho.
“The Chinese government has been providing food aid to Lesotho for many years and last year it provided M38 million worth of food aid. This year, we will provide a further M40 million worth of food aid to Lesotho,” said Mr Song.
Agriculture and food security were essential to any country in the world, he said, adding that in Lesotho about 80 percent of the people were employed in the sector.
Mr Song, however, noted that Lesotho could only produce 30 percent of its food needs and has to import the rest “due to a variety of challenges”.
The government of Lesotho was working towards addressing that challenge with a number of initiatives, he said.
The Chinese government has also been providing technical assistance to Basotho over the years such as in the cultivation of mushrooms.
Mr Song also revealed that the Chinese government was currently evaluating three agricultural cooperation programmes in Lesotho. Once approved, he said, Basotho would be equipped with the technology and skills needed to address challenges such as soil degradation.
Also in attendance at the handover ceremony was Justice, Human Rights and Correctional Service Minister Mahali Phamotse who lauded the gesture, saying it would be of great help to the beneficiaries.
She urged the beneficiaries to desist from selling or leaving the donations to rot.
“We will be going to the beneficiaries’ houses to see the work they have done with these donations,” Dr Phamotse said.
CLPPFAF also donated school bags and balls to students from six primary schools around Butha-Buthe.
“To the teachers, please make sure that the children take care of the donations because the Chinese embassy always support Basotho children on education,” the minister said.
One of the beneficiaries, Thabang Rakoro, said the farming inputs would alleviate a great need since they were very expensive for them.
He said there was always a shortage of farming inputs in Lesotho, which forces them to buy across the border at a greater cost.
“Most of us farmers make money out of agriculture and having to use that money again to transport the fertilisers and seeds from South Africa leaves us with nothing because of the large amounts we pay,” Mr Rakoro said.
