by Pusetso Sehlabaka | Sep 16, 2024 | Uncategorised
Lesotho is grappling with a severe food security crisis, made worse by El Niño weather pattern, which is disrupting the critical 2024/25 summer planting and rainy season. Persistent crop failures, dwindling food production, water shortages, and skyrocketing food prices have severely hit the country’s agricultural production with 41% of rural households now forced to spend more than half of their income just to put food on the table.
In 2022 and 2023, back-to-back La Niña events brought heavy rains that badly damaged crops and reduced harvests in Lesotho. The food insecurity crisis was further exacerbated during the 2023/2024 rainfall season, as the El Niño phenomenon further disrupted people’s lives, livelihoods, and investments. This weather pattern shift had ripple effects across many areas, intensifying challenges across various sectors and deepening the socio-economic impact for communities.
Although Lesotho planted more crops during the 2023/24 season compared to previous years, the country still saw below-average harvests, leading to an increased reliance on markets and a subsequent rise in maize prices (a staple food). Dry spells from January to March severely affected a range of crops, especially maize, resulting in substantial losses for poor and very poor households. Driving home the severity of the crisis, the IPC (Integrated Food Security Phase Classification) projected that a staggering 325,000 people (22% of the rural population) would be in IPC Phase 3 (Crisis). As a result, families began purchasing food from local markets earlier than usual, leading to rising food prices and making it even harder for poorer households to make ends meet.
In response, the Government of Lesotho, through the Lesotho Vulnerability Assessment Committee (LVAC), carried out an early assessment to get a clearer picture of the current food situation. The findings revealed that Lesotho is facing severe food shortages, with the crisis expected to worsen as El Niño impacts the critical October 2024 to March 2025 period. This extreme weather event hit during the crucial 2024/25 summer planting and rainy season, severely impacting farming. The country experienced widespread crop failures, reduced production, rising concerns over safety and protection, water shortages, and soaring food prices. The impact was particularly severe in several regions, including the Southern Lowlands, Foothills, Mountains, and the Senqu River Valley.
According to the 2024/25 LVAC report, as of June 2024, half of Lesotho’s ten districts were in crisis (IPC Phase 3) for food security, while the other five were classified as stressed (IPC Phase 2). The entire country is expected to reach crisis level (IPC Phase 3) by October 2024, highlighting the urgent need for action to save lives and protect livelihoods. According to the latest reports, an estimated 699,049 individuals in both urban and rural areas are facing food insecurity, highlighting the widespread food needs across Lesotho.
The Government of Lesotho took action by declaring a state of emergency and appealed to local and international development partners for immediate assistance. In response, a National Drought Response Plan was issued in July 2024, which identified both short-term and long-term humanitarian requirements to alleviate the effects of the drought. The Lesotho Red Cross Society (LRCS) has been on the front lines, working to ensure effective aid distribution and strengthen community resilience.
by Pusetso Sehlabaka | Jun 19, 2024 | Latest
By Ments’ele Mohloboli
With the support of the International Federation of the Red Cross Red Crescent (IFRC), Lesotho Red Cross Society in collaboration with Quthing and Maseru District Administration (DA) and District Disaster Management Team (DDMT) held a three days lessons learned workshop at Quthing from Tuesday the 11th to Thursday the 13th June 2024.
The purpose of this workshop was to;
- Capture lessons learned; systematically document the positive and negative aspects of the project including what went well and what did not, to identify best practices and areas of improvement.
- Enhance team performance; foster a continuous learning process within the team, promote a culture of improvement and encourage team members to reflect on their experiences and share their knowledge.
- Identify areas for change; identify areas where the processes and procedure can be improved and develop strategies for implementing these changes to enhance overall performance.
Mr. Likano Moleleko on behalf of Quthing District Administrator welcomed everyone to the workshop and wished a productive three days ahead, he further showed his over flowing joy to the LRCS for its constant support when it comes to helping vulnerable communities affected by disasters.
In his welcoming remarks, the LRCS President Mr Harekete Nkhets’e thanked the IFRC for its continued support. “This workshop is momentous because of the continuous effects of climate change in the country.” he added,
Furthermore, he emphasized that the workshop precedes an official launch of a new project Friday the 14th June. As such, he hoped that the lessons learned would be applied in the following project.
This intervention was due to the storm surge that affected infrastructure, property, livelihoods, access to health services as well as food security in Maseru and Quthing districts in December 2023. child headed, poor and extremely vulnerable households were prioritised.
During implementation, the project was able to; provide cash transfers for re-roofing, provide WASH education and WASH kits, set up WASH clubs, provide hygiene kits, food parcels, psycho-social support as well as non-food items. However, the project faced numerous challenges such as time delays, unfriendly terrains, network issues and limited resources and time to conduct some activities.
In conclusion, Ms Sebongile Hlubi, Disaster Management Coordinator (DMC) thanked the house for the support they showed throughout the project. She further stated that it is her strong believe that all that has been learned in this workshop will be included and considered in the upcoming intervention.
Lastly, Mr Moleleko in his closing remarks stated “I would like to thank the IFRC in particular for the hard work they portray, their continued support not to forget all organisations present at this workshop and I plead that the lessons learned to be taken into consideration in order to avoid repeated mistakes.”
by Pusetso Sehlabaka | Jun 19, 2024 | Latest
With the support of the International Federation of the Red Cross Red Crescent (IFRC), Lesotho Red Cross Society (LRCS) launched a Disaster Emergency Response on Friday the 14th June 2024 at Maseru.
The purpose of the project is to provide humanitarian assistance to 12 500 individuals (2 500 households) whose livelihoods are affected by drought. The support will be delivered through sustainable interventions including access to clean water, crop production initiatives and multipurpose cash transfers. This initiative is supported by IFRC to a tune of 16 Million and expected to run for a period of 9 months.
When officially opening the launch, the president of the Lesotho Red Cross Society Mr. Hareteke Nkhet’se indicated that today marks a pivotal moment in the collective efforts to address the urgent needs arising from the devastating effects of poor harvesting in Lesotho.
“As we gather here, we are reminded of the core principles and values that underpin the Red Cross Movement, which has been a beacon of hope and humanitarian assistance globally for over a century. As the Red Cross movement, our work is deeply rooted in the communities we serve, and we strive to build resilience and promote sustainable development.”
He further indicated that today is about launching of the Disaster Emergency Response, a critical initiative that will provide much-needed support to the five districts severely affected by the recent poor harvests. The recent poor harvesting has had a profound impact on communities, particularly in the districts of Maseru, Mafeteng, Mohale’s Hoek, Quthing and Qacha’s nek. Families are struggling to meet their basic needs, and the threat of food insecurity looms large.
“Following the 2023/24 El Nino event that caused widespread drought conditions across Southern Africa, characterized by late onset rains, extended mid-season dry spell and extreme high temperatures, Lesotho Red Cross Society made and assessment in collaboration with its stakeholders and then applied for the Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF)from the International Federation of the Red Cross Red Crescent (IFRC) and the amount of 16 Million Maloti was allocated to assist people who had their livelihoods affected by drought.” Said Mrs. Sebongile Hlobi, the project manager.
by Pusetso Sehlabaka | May 30, 2024 | Latest
As part of a DREF district-based launch in Quthing, on Tuesday the 28th May 2024 Lesotho Red Cross Society (LRCS) in collaboration with Lesotho Mounted Police Services (LMPS) through Child and Gender Protection Unit (CGPU) and Ministry of Health commemorated menstrual hygiene day at Tele primary School.
Children were sensitised on issues of Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights and Menstrual Hygiene Management, Sexual and Gender Based Violence and Climate change. 20 girls from Tele Primary school were gifted hygiene packages comprising of bath soap, roll-on, sanitary towels, petroleum jelly, shoe polish, toothpaste and washing powder to help keep clean during their menstrual period.
Mrs. Thinyane from the ministry of health emphasised on the importance of hygiene during menstrual period. She also urged the male students to support the girls and not humiliate them because that lowers their self esteem and some end up skipping school to avoid humiliation.
Inspector Morongoe Makaliana from CGPU advised the children to report sexual exploitation and abuse that affects them and their communities. She stated the importance of reporting so that the survivors can receive appropriate health services, support and justice be served for them.
The Disaster Management officer for LRCS Miss Sbongile Hlubi added that the disposal of used sanitary towels also play a big part in climate change, she urged with the students to dispose the sanitary towels as they were told to minimize the effects of climate change.
This activity was supported by International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC) through Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) and was the continuation of response to the storm surge that occurred in December 2023 in Quthing and Maseru
by Pusetso Sehlabaka | May 14, 2024 | Latest, Uncategorised
Ts’okoliso Abraham Mothibeli, hailing from Metolong, Thaba-Bosiu, Maseru, emerges as a dynamic and focused
youth leader. While pursuing a Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Business Management, he has been bestowed with the honour of being elected as the Youth President of the Lesotho Red Cross Society, marking the onset of a four year term dedicated to deliver humanitarian services. Concurrently, he assumes the role of Pan African Internet Governance Youth Ambassador, exemplifying his commitment to global engagement and technological
advancement.
In 2019, Ts’okoliso seized the opportunity to represent the Lesotho Red Cross on the global stage as a youth
delegate at the RCRC General Assembly held in Geneva, Switzerland. This experience laid the foundation for his subsequent endeavours, notably in 2022, when he returned to the General Assembly in Geneva to advocate for climate issues from the perspective of African youth.
His leadership trajectory began as the Divisional Youth Chairperson of the Maseru Red Cross Division, where he exhibited remarkable dedication and organizational prowess. Subsequently, he ascended to the role of vice
president within the National Youth Executive Committee (NYEC), further solidifying his position as a prominent
figure in youth leadership and advocacy within Lesotho and beyond.
