Project Detail

Integrated land and water resources management in Thaba T?ehla Ha khoanyane

Project Summary

Thaba T?ehla Grazing Association consists of seven villages namely, Moreneng, Nthoaneng, Lumelang, Mcucung, Mohlakala, Lifotholeng and Naledi. The Association is based in Ha Khoanyane on the way to Katse Dam. The Association was established in 2021, with the purpose of promoting sustainable land and water resources management, through protection of wetlands and conserving rangelands for improved livestock production and prevention of soil erosion. Majority of people living in the rural areas depend more on agricultural activities such as livestock rearing (merino sheep and angora goats) and cattle for their livelihoods. The Association comprises both men and women even though, it is a male dominated Association due to rural norms which makes women to be reluctant to join the grazing association as they think it?s a men?s territory.
Ha Khoanyane is small village in Thaba Tseka district which is facing a great pressure on its natural resources hence rangeland and wetland ecosystems of Ha Khoanyane are endangered. Threats to these ecosystems include among others, overstocking, uncontrolled fires, inadequate enforcement of regulations, low technical capacity and weak governance on natural resource management, climate change impact, and lack of knowledge transfer from one generation to another coupled with ignorance of the need for sustainable management of natural resources.
General Objective
The main objective of the project is Sustainable Land Management, with emphasis on integrated management of land and water resources for improved agricultural production and resilient natural ecosystems and livelihoods of Thaba T?ehla community .
Specific objectives:
a) Strengthen efforts towards awareness creation about sustainable management of rangelands and wetlands resources among local communities and authorities.
b) Augment efforts for conservation of threatened ecosystems, with particular attention to medicinal plants and wildlife in general; and the cultural heritage of Thaba T?ehla
c) Strengthening involvement of youth, women and people with disabilities in conservation
d) Promote and demonstrate technologies for water harvesting and efficient use of water for improved and climate smart agricultural activities
e) Implementation of alternative non-extractive income generating activities for diversification and resilience of livelihoods of local communities.
Key expected Results:
The project will impact seven villages (Moreneng, Nthoaneng, Lumelang, Mcucung, Mohlakala, Lifotholeng and Naledi) in the area of Ha Khoanyane and neighborhoods and the main beneficiaries will be Association members, livestock owners, and youth including herders, women and people with disabilities. The main expected results during the operation of the project are:
a) Local community and authorities are more aware of the importance of wetlands and rangeland ecosystems and are safeguarding sustainability.
b) Resilience of threatened ecosystem and species improved and presenting enhanced opportunity for ecotourism.
c) Local communities more equipped with knowledge and skills for proper management of natural resources.
d) The local communities have the ability to respond and adapt to climate change impacts.
e) Livelihoods of local communities are more resilient and alternative non-extractive income generating activities are implemented and are generating employment opportunities.

Project Snapshot

Grantee:

Thaba-T?ehla Ha Khoanyane Grazing Association

Country:

Lesotho

Area Of Work:

Community Based Adaptation
Biodiversity
Land Degradation

Operational Phase:

OP7 ?Y2 (Jul 21-Jun 22)

Grant Amount:

US$ 20,300.00

Co-Financing Cash:

Co-Financing in-Kind:

US$ 22,000.00

Project Number:

LSO/SGP/OP7/Y2/CORE/LD/2021/15

Start Date:

12/2021

End Date:

4/2023

Status:

Project activities completed, final reports pending

Project Characteristics and Results

Planning non gef grant

* The Wool and Mohair Promotion Project is still continuing, and subsequent phases are being eyed to access new and additional resources to upscale initiated activities and to strengthen sustainability od achieved results over the long term.

Linkages gef projects

Planning gef grant

Emphasis on Sustainable Livelihoods

For implementation of alternative non-extractive activities for diversification of livelihoods and for resilience of local communities, it is envisaged that the following activities will be implemented: - Fruit production and preservation - Beekeeping - poultry (free range chicken) - Ecotourism - 0.54 ha of land has been allocated as a work base for the project

Gender Focus

Natural resources management, particularly range management, is a male dominated field. However, in the case of the Association, women take up about 39% of the membership, with women also occupying 40% of seats in the administration and executive committees, resulting significant participation of women in natural resources management decision making. Herders, the majority of which are young men/youth, will be targeted in trainings and campaigns as well as in income generation and in monitoring the condition of wetlands and rangelands which are in their watch, by virtue of them being true stewards of the land and water resources. For all trainings and skills development activities, there will be 50/50 representation of men and women to ensure equal opportunity. Gender considerations are already being taken in into account and will continue, in allocating project tasks. For all reporting on participation in project activities, data will be gender disaggregated; and accessibility issues will also be taken into consideration to accommodate participation of people with disability and since culturally some areas cannot be accessed by women. Effort will be made to ensure that benefits accruing from the project are evenly distributed; and this will be reflected in gender disaggregated data in project reports.

Replication of project activities

Not in this period.

Significant Participation of Indigenous Peoples

Sesotho as the local language, and English are official language in Lesotho. All sensitization, mobilization and planning meetings were conducted in Sesotho to ensure that no one is left behind and or excluded.

Capacity - Building Component

The Association since its establishment in 2021, has undergone several trainings on sustainable range resources management and nature conservation in general. However, they lack the requisite equipment and materials to put what they have learned to work. They wish to venture into fruit production and beekeeping and thus require training and skills development in these areas. Further to this, capacity building in the following areas is of critical importance: Leadership and conflict resolution, and business management and bookkeeping.

Project sustainability

The project is by and large about restoring and sustainably managing natural ecosystems that do not only sustain the mainstay of the economy of mountain communities (livestock production) but also generate ecosystem services (e.g., fresh water) that are critical for the country?s economic growth. The interventions will strengthen the resilience of ecosystems and that of the livelihoods of local communities, who are the project founders, implementers and monitors. Built into the project are income generating projects as low hanging fruits that are meant to sustain the momentum and enthusiasm of the Association Member while they pursue the long-haul activities of restoring rangelands and wetlands. Both the district Forestry, Range and Environment offices have been instrumental in the conception and formulation of the project proposal, and both see the intervention as catalytic in the conservation work that they already initiated with the Grazing Association. The District Agricultural office is also supporting the horticultural component of the project. The Association is already enjoying material, technical backstopping, and supervision from these offices, and this will continue beyond project completion as it has been even before project conception. Local communities are currently collecting water for domestic use from unprotected springs, and they travel relatively long distances to get the water with the elderly even more disadvantaged. With harnessing of the water for safe storage in a tank and delivery to strategic points, local communities have vowed to guard the infrastructure jealously. The work of the Project is very much aligned also to the European Union supported Integrated Catchment Management project that is being rolled out countrywide. The Association will stand up to be counted as the ICM project expands to cover all 70 plus delineated sub-catchments.

Inovative Financial Mechanisms

The project is by nature a multi-stakeholder engagement initiative bringing together various government departments, and this necessitates local community and government dialogues where knowledge, lessons and good practices will be shared, with the potential for networking and peer- to- peer visits and experience sharing, between all Thaba Tseka based grantees and other like-minded entities in the districts and beyond. Monthly meetings where CIGs will be reporting, and tour of project activities undertaken by the Association members, local authorities and government departments will also be very important platforms for knowledge sharing and dissemination. The Association will make the most of the local community radio station and the MFRSC radio and television programme to disseminate information and knowledge generated by the project. Every effort will be made to capture all stages of the project in photographs so that progress and impact can be documented and shared wildly in photo stories.

Project Results

* Veld fires and infestation of rangelands by alien invasive shrubs are key challenges in Thaba Tsehla, located in one of the mountain districts, the inhabitants of which subsist on wool and mohair production. Assisted by the Department of Range Resources Management, the Association was able to secure cash-for-work support from the Wool and Mohair Promotion Project for brush control that saw the association clearing 150 ha of rangeland of invasive shrubs.

* Following an exchange visit to the neighboring Mokhotlong District, at Malubalube where the local community has done excellent work in range resources management, Thaba Tsehla Grazing Association hosted a similar event, where 150 ha of rangeland has been rehabilitated and was officially opened for grazing for a prescribed period. This event was graced by district and local authorities, farmers and peer grantees. A healthy competition has been created among grazing associations, will all striving to do better.

* Livestock were traveling long distances in search of water, which is found in wetlands; thus, destruction of wetlands livestock trampling was a challenge. Three livestock watering points have been constructed at strategic points, thus relieving pressure on wetlands and allowing for their restoration.

* To enhance ecosystem/landscape restoration and as an income generation activity, the Association has started beekeeping and orchard development. These ventures are still in their initial stages. Free range chicken project has been initiated with egg production picking up.

* With assistance from the Lesotho Highlands Water Project and in collaboration with the departments of Environment and Range Resources Mangement, the Association has established a community botanical garden where threatened plant species with medicinal value and others with economic value have been rescued and are being propagated.

* With a work base now established (0.54 ha of land allocated to the association), operations are more coordinated, with association assets kept safely in one place and planning and other meetings held on site.

* Through the project implemented by the 233-member association (169 men, 53 women), a total of 437 people (237 women and 200 men) including local authorities, has benefited through trainings and campaigns, hiring for minor construction works (e.g., livestock watering points) and many more whose livestock will graze in good rangelands.

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