FAO and Government of Lesotho sign new agreements during Director-General’s visit

Maseru – The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Government of Lesotho have signed a new Country Programming Framework (CPF) aimed at transforming Lesotho's agrifood system. The signing ceremony, held in Maseru, was overseen by the FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu during his five-day visit to the Mountain Kingdom. 

The FAO Country Programming Framework (CPF) is a strategic plan that outlines FAO's support and priorities to assist the country in achieving sustainable agricultural development and food security.

In his address at the signing ceremony today, Qu emphasized the importance of strong partnerships in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those related to food security and sustainable agriculture. He noted the critical role of collaborative efforts in transforming global agrifood systems to be more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable.

“During my discussions with you these past days I have listened to you and appreciated the work that your respective ministries are doing with FAO, and more importantly, of what we can do to further strengthen our collaboration to ensure even more impactful results,” he said.

Qu highlighted the challenges and opportunities facing Lesotho, including the need to shorten agrifood value chains to make them more resilient to shocks. He acknowledged the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and recent avian influenza outbreaks on the country's food security and livelihoods, emphasizing the importance of building more resilient agrifood systems.

The newly signed CPF will guide FAO's support to Lesotho over the next five years, focusing on enhancing agricultural production and productivity, promoting sustainable management of natural resources, and building climate resilience.  

He also said FAO will work with Lesotho to tap into funding opportunities through the Global Environment Facility and the Green Climate Fund.

Three new projects for Lesotho’s food security

In addition to the CPF, three key Technical Cooperation Projects (TCPs) funded by FAO were signed. These projects provide seed money and catalytic funding for implementing of the CPF.

One of the projects focusing on the FAO Digital Villages Initiative aims to harness digital technologies to improve agricultural practices, enhance market access, and boost rural development in Lesotho.

The project for the FAO Green Cities Initiative promotes urban agriculture and sustainable urban planning and seeks to create greener, more liveable cities while addressing food security.

The third project focuses on aquaculture and aims to promote the development of the aquaculture value chain, enhancing food security and creating job opportunities.

The Director-General concluded his remarks by stressing the need for collective action and collaboration to achieve prosperity for all in Lesotho. "No one entity can address these challenges alone, but together we can do more and better. As the saying goes: 'one is too small a number to achieve greatness.' We need to join hands and work together to support Lesotho in achieving prosperity for all – leaving no one behind," he said

The Director-General is in Lesotho following an invitation from His Majesty King Letsie III who is an FAO Goodwill Ambassador for Nutrition, underscoring the deep commitment of both parties to improving food security and nutrition in Lesotho, and beyond.