Moroke Sekoboto
PRIME Minister Sam Matekane has commended the government of China for supporting Lesotho’s efforts to mainstream agriculture as a key driver of economic growth.
Mr Matekane lauded China’s support after receiving grain storage facility yesterday at Ha Foso.
Speaking at the handover of the grain’s storage facility yesterday at Ha, Mr Matekane said the modern grain storage facility valued at about M150 million, marked the completion of a vision of a comprehensive approach to the agricultural challenges.
“Our journey is that of a revolution of a sector so that production, storage, processing and marketing becomes a complete and functional value chain.
“Agriculture is the backbone of our country and the main way of making a living in the country, especially for those living in rural areas. We have lately witnessed many Basotho coming into agriculture and becoming successful,” Mr Matekane said.
“It is clear that our increasing produce must be stored without losing the quality while being used for long time. The facility will help reduce poverty and hunger as the stored grains will be used during emergencies.
“Lesotho, like other countries, is bearing the brunt of climate change which affects agriculture with drought, floods and storms, which causes loses for farmers,” Mr Matekane said.
Mr Matekane expressed gratitude China for its support for the economic development of Lesotho, reaffirming Lesotho’s support for the One-China policy.
“We thank China for always being here for us, holding our hands, walking the journey of development with us. We pledge to always support China in all its efforts, in particular the One-China policy. The bond and relationship between Lesotho and China comes from far in both private sector and government and our journey is still long which we need to walk together,” Mr Matekane said.
Chinese Ambassador, Yang Xiaokun, said the project stands as a new proof of Focus on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), a new landmark and fresh milestone of friendship between China and Lesotho.
Mr Xiaokun said food security is pivotal to the nation’s economic development, social stability, and national security. He said that the government of Lesotho has prioritised agricultural productivity and food security, committing to eliminating hunger, improving food systems and strengthening climate resilience, aiming to build a hunger free, resilient, and prosperous Lesotho.
“This aligns closely with China’s traditional philosophy that food is the first necessity of the people. China’s arable land productivity is far below the world average, and its land quality faces numerous challenges, including declining soil fertility, erosion, and contamination,” Mr Xiaokun said.
He said despite this, over the past five years, China has consistently increased its food production capacity. Mr Xiaokun highlighted that in the year of 2024, the total grain output exceeded 700 million metric pounds.
He stated that China, with only nine percent of the world’s arable land and six percent of its freshwater resources, has fed nearly one-fifth of the world’s population.
“How has China achieved this food security? Three core elements are highly instrumental here. First, the government’s prioritisation. Chinese President Xi Jinping treats food security as a top state issue. President Jinping emphasized there must be no complaints whatsoever regarding food security.
“Second, policy support. China has enacted food security guarantee law and, for many consecutive years, placed food security at the forefront of its annual number one central document,” Mr Xiaokun said.
“Third, scientific and technological innovation support. China has widely applied new high-yield, high-quality varieties of rice, wheat, and soy, alongside advanced technologies such as satellite remote sensing, the internet of things, and big data. Yield-increasing techniques like rational close planting and integrated water fertiliser management have also been extensively promoted,” Mr Xiaokun added.
Ambassador Xiaokun said all these efforts have laid a solid foundation for China’s food security and contributed to the global fight against hunger. He added that Lesotho has favourable land resources, abundant human resources, and distinctive climate conditions.
“We stand ready to further deepen cooperation with Lesotho and jointly enhance food security. I wish that in the following year, we can have more agriculture projects like this one and beyond. For Lesotho, 2025 was a year of effectively addressing external headwinds and delivering impressive outcomes,” Mr Xiaokun said.
He added that despite facing a range of external challenges, the government and people of Lesotho forged ahead in unity to overcome hardship, achieved political stability, economic growth, and social progress, and displayed a national spirit of independence and perseverance.
“We deeply appreciate this remarkable accomplishment and hold it in high regard. For both Lesotho and China, 2025 has additionally been the year when our solidarity and concerted efforts have yielded rich and sustainable fruits of cooperation. There are 148 sets of agricultural machinery handed over in October just across the road from here,” Mr Xiaokun said.
