Even though livestock farming in Lesotho is dominated by men, women are increasingly becoming strong in this venture and all will be given equal opportunities in the project.
Significant Participation of Indigenous Peoples
Herders/herdboys will be at the core of project implementaion as they are the strongest link in sustainable rangeland management. Lesotho does not have indigenous people, but herders are a very vulnerable group, that work and stays in very harsh conditions - living in cattle post for extended periods - conditions that no ordinary person can live in.
Project sustainability
Project implementation was by and large supported, through technical backstopping and other extension services, by the Ministry of Forestry and Land Reclamation. The project is continuing to enjoy support from these extension services. The local farmers are benefitting directly, already from the breeding programme and are seeing positive results already. The local authorities who are responsible for natural management resources have been engaged throughout the whole project cycle and are themselves members of the grazing associations and are very supportive of the project.
Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment
Project implementation was preceded by a series of pitsos (public gatherings) in all villages that fall within the project area to raise awareness and to provide a platform for discussions in enviromental challenges facing the country and indeed the whole world.Such gatherings will continue to be held; educational tours to similar initiatives will be undertaken; and media and radio will be used to raise awareness through dissemination of experiences and ahievements of the project and their contribution to environmental protection.
Notable Community Participation
Public gatherings (lipitso) were heldin the various villages that fall within the project area, where beneficiaries were given a platform to raise and deliberate on the environmental and socio-economic challenges they are faced with. The outcome of the deliberations defined the problem statement, the interventions and the implementation approach and the project monitoring process all of which will be led by members of the association supported all the way by local authorities and respective subject matter specialists based in the area and from their respective headquarters. Gatherings and community forums, trainign sessions and educational tours and exchange visits will continue to be organized throughout th project life and beyond.
Policy Influence
The majority of Basotho are dependent on agriculture for subsistence, with wool and mohair being the main cash commodity. Thus wool and mohair are the main agricultural exports and Lesotho is the world?s second largest producer of mohair, producing 14% of all mohair produced in the world. Through brush control and breed improvement, the project is contributing to improvement of quality and quantity of these commodities.
Policy Impact
The proposed intervention will contribute towards the national priorities of: -"Strengthening range management institutions and range carrying capacity and promoting sustainable and integrated land management that will reduce land degradation and support increased land use productivity that sustains economic development" encapsulated in the National Strategic Development Plan.
Replication of project activities
Though the grant recipient was Boreipala Grazing Association, project activities covered all 5 grazing association formed under the GEF funded Sustainable Management project.Through the breeding programme 10 rams and 2 male goats were procured and distributed among the 5 grazing associations with each getting 2 rams and 1 goat. This created interest among other farmers who are not members of the associations with the result that those farmers were assisted by the project to buy 10 more rams with their own resources.
Linkages gef projects
Through the just completed GEF funded Sustainable Land Managment project, 6 grazing associations were formed. One of the Associations, Boreipala Hoai li Thabile Grazing Association, assisted by the Ministry of Forestry and Land Reclamation developed a proposal for SGP funding, an initiative that demonstrated the upstream and community levels and the impact of effort-benefit linkage on natural resources management.
Capacity - Building Component
Training sustainable rangeland management and wool and mohair production form a major component of the project. The linkage between breed-range condition-flock size will be demonstrated. Facilities and incentives for flock size reduction will also be put at the disposal of the beneficiaries.
Emphasis on Sustainable Livelihoods
Wool and mohair production is a major economic activity in Semonkong. To sustain this activity, the condition of rangeland resources has to be improved and kept at an appropriate carrying capacity. Livestock populations also have to be brought down to acceptable numbers and with good breeds. Rehabilitation of rangelands and their sustainable management and improvement of wool and mohair production are at the core of the proposed intervention.
Project Results
- A total of 106 people, 85 men and 21 women benefitted from the project, especially the breeding programme. More than 1000 lambs and more than 500 kids were born during the last 2 seasons. However, statistics on fertility, lambing and mortality rates and improvement in the quantity and quality of wool and mohair as a result of the project are yet to be determined.
- Through the breeding programme 10 rams and 2 male goats were procured and distributed among the 5 grazing associations with each getting 2 rams and 1 goat. This created interest among other farmers who are not members of the associations with the result that those farmers were assisted by the project to buy 10 more rams with their own resources.
- Through trainings on sustainable range resources management, a total of 178 men and 242 women were reached. Through grazing associations, invasive shrubs were uprooted and the areas re-seeded and put under controlled grazing. The total rangelands under controlled grazing covers about 50 ha.
- Wetland rehabilitation and protection did not do well. This was partly attributed to the el nino which resulted in the limited wetland areas becoming the main sources of forage for livestock as other areas were badly affected.
