Strengthening Rural Livelihoods Severely Affected by Climate Change-Induced Drought in Lesotho

The adverse effects of climate change have been hindering Lesotho’s development progress in a number of key areas, including agriculture and food security, poverty reduction, water management, public health and disaster risk reduction. The inhospitable terrain, harsh climate and limited access to arable land puts intense pressure on the environment and makes the population highly vulnerable to climatic fluctuations. In the arable southern lowlands and mountain agroecological zones, the majority of the population depends on agriculture for their livelihoods where a small increase in temperature will have direct impact on their economic and food security.

To strengthen national responses and build community-based adaption strategies to the interconnected threats induced by climate change in Lesotho, the programme aims to: (i) increase crop production and nutrition security through improving agricultural techniques and cropping systems; (ii) protect the most vulnerable children from poverty and food insecurity; (iii) enhance the capacity of districts, communities and households to combat the impact of anthrax on livestock; (iv) improve maternal health care by increasing access to emergency obstetric care services and by providing food supplements to mothers; and (v) increase the capacity of public authorities and local communities to adapt to and mitigate the negative effects of climate change

KEY MATERIALS
Programme Summary
Lesson Learned From the Field
Flyer – Seed Production: “Planting the Seeds of Hope”
Flyer – Home Garden: “Nearly Half of All Children Under Five Years in Lesotho Are Stunted, an Indicator of Chronic Malnutrition”
Flyer – Conservation Agriculture: “Fighting Food Insecurity, a Way Forward”