Director-General visits key agricultural sites in Lesotho

Rome/Maseru – FAO Director-General QU Dongyu visited some of Lesotho’s key agricultural sites and attended a ceremony for the handover of agricultural machinery over the weekend.

The Director-General has spent several days in the landlocked southern African country in a bid to provide impetus to FAO’s work on the ground and reaffirm his commitment to support Lesotho in its efforts to improve and transform its agrifood system.

On Saturday, Qu visited the Thaba-Bosiu Cultural Village, Lesotho’s foremost tourist destination, where he witnessed traditional dances and participated in a tree-planting ceremony. The Director-General also visited the village’s traditional Basotho houses, known as a "mokhoro." These are round, thatched-roof huts made from locally sourced materials like stone, mud, and grass.

^{FAO Director-General QU Dongyu (C) plants a tree on Thaba Bosiu mountain during a visit to the Thaba Bosiu Cultural Village.©FAO/Rogan Ward}

On Sunday, the Director-General delivered a speech at a ceremony marking the hand-over of equipment for the production of potatoes, under the umbrella of FAO’s One Country One Priority Product (OCOP) Initiative. 

OCOP was one of the first flagship initiatives to be launched by the Director-General upon taking office, in 2019, while Lesotho was one of the first countries to express interest in joining the initiative.

“This machinery will significantly contribute to agricultural production in the country, especially in the specific areas where it is needed most,” Qu said, expressing his gratitude to the Chinese government for its support of the initiative.

“This is a true reflection of concrete support on the ground, and it demonstrates how FAO works to deliver on its promises,” Qu said.

The Director-General noted that Lesotho is particularly well suited for growing root crops, tubers, and bulbs due to its high altitude and cooler weather.

During the ceremony, which was also attended by Lesotho’s Minister of Agriculture, Food security and Nutrition, Thabo Mofosi, Qu invited the authorities to promote local food products such as trout, fruits, and other specialties. Doing so would also help Lesotho become a vibrant destination for agro-tourism, thereby boosting its local economy and showcasing its rich agricultural heritage, he said.

^{FAO Director-General QU Dong and Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Thabo Mofosi during the hand over of equipment at the Department of Agricultural Research (MAFSN) ©FAO/Rogan Ward}

The Director-General then visited the Sehlabeng Poultry Farm, a family-owned business started by an environment economics lecturer who is on a mission to make agriculture more attractive, especially for today’s youth.

His final weekend visit took him to the Mahobong Orchard, a project designed to promote small—and medium-scale fruit and vegetable processing to boost employment and food security. Mokhethi Shelile, Lesotho’s Minister of Trade, Industry, and Small Business, also attended the visit.