Lesotho Food Crisis -"Hungry for Assistance"

by Cindy Easterday

On 9th July 2007, the Prime Minister of Lesotho issued a Declaration of an Emergency Food Security situation in Lesotho and asked for international assistance for the 400,000 - 550,000 out of a population of 1.8 million people who are in need of urgent food aid. Even by July many households had already exhausted their coping mechanisms.

This call comes in response to what has been called Lesotho's worst drought in decades, causing large scale damage to growing crops as a result of low rainfall and fluctuating temperatures during the January-March growing season. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Program (WFP) the cereal harvest, of which the largest part is maize, Lesotho's staple food, has dropped by 40-50% this year.

KKM's Executive Committee Chairperson is a small farmer in the southern part of the country, known to be even drier than other parts. He says that the ongoing lack of rains is now affecting their animals, which are beginning to die due to lack of food and water -- and there is nothing they can do. It is mostly these small scale farmers and households in the rural areas, whose livelihoods are agricultural based, who are most affected. In addition to drought conditions, another influence affecting cereal production has been a declining trend over the past few years in the planted area of cereals with potential farmland left uncultivated mainly due to the uncertainties of agro-climatic conditions, shortage of farm labor and the lack of cash-flow for inputs and investment. ("Lesotho: Food Crisis OCHA Situation Report No.1", UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs - OCHA, 27 July 2007).  This labor shortage can primarily be attributed to the impact of HIV/AIDS in the country where an estimated 23.2% of the population are infected, one of the highest rates worldwide.  As food supply meets demand the vicious cycle of diminished incomes confronted with increased prices kicks in, further exacerbated by reduced harvests in South Africa, the main regional supplier, within whose borders Lesotho lies. As a result, reports indicate the price of 12.5kg of maize meal has nearly doubled since last year.

Though assessments point to the vicious cycle of food insecurity brought on by erratic weather, prolonged drought, poverty and the impact of HIV/AIDS they also note that the immediate food and agricultural assistance needed would not significantly change the long-term situation of the affected people.

KKM's Response: Stakeholders Called to Food Security Consultation

It was out of this situation and these concerns that, on 4th September, KKM called a meeting of stakeholders involved in agriculture and food security in Lesotho to meet and see how we might begin to address such issues together. The key aims of this initial meeting were:

• To hear from each other about our organizations, activities, geographical areas of involvement and developing plans;
• To consider government policies and approaches to food security;
• To agree on a way forward. Amongst local NGO's were those representing church bodies, including the Christian Council of Lesotho (CCL) and the Lesotho Evangelical Church (LEC), PCUSA's partner church in Lesotho.

We were also pleasantly surprised to have two representatives, including a director, from the Department of Agriculture who were helpful and encouraging once they realized they weren't going to be battered! This department is not generally viewed well by those proactively involved in improving agriculture in the country, so to sense them relaxing and not feeling threatened by the group was a major step forward. 

Participants comments to the causes or contributions to hunger and poverty in Lesotho ranged from global climate change to local agricultural practices, farming methods and policies, the lack of or inappropriate storage, and the inability to get farming inputs (indigenous seeds, organic manure, etc) to the attitudes and mindsets of the people. It was agreed we all need each other and we must change our own attitudes before we can expect those around us to change theirs. This begins with developing trust and supporting each other rather than competing for resources and "clients". 

A challenge to the Department of Agriculture representatives was that government must reflect a commitment to this essential and vital area of response as their leadership is critical. Presently they are seen to only be paying it lip service. By the meeting's end, it was clear that those attending were serious in their interest to continue this process and were committed to see change in a positive direction. "We don't want another workshop that is just talk," was one initial comment. "Handouts won't end poverty," said another. And, in the end, "We need to look at the roots so good fruit is being produced."

Drought Frustrates Efforts by Network to Fight Hunger

by TMS Letela, KKM network Coordinator

Since my arrival in April this year, the Companion Facilitator, the Administrative Assistant and I have been visiting the different districts to meet with and get introduced to the Network members, the great majority of whom live in the rural areas. So far six of ten districts have been visited. In each, the first of two days was dedicated to a meeting in which progress reports (achievements, successes and challenges) from members were discussed. This was followed by testimonies on practical consequences of drought and hunger within the communities. On the second day of our visits, we visited the project sites to see what activities the members were doing to fight hunger and alleviate poverty.  Members' reports have indicated that cereal crops were subjected to drought from the time they were planted in September and October 2006 to harvest time in May and June this year. Members who were assisted by the Network with vegetable seeds (beetroot, cabbage, carrots, spinach, etc) reported nearly total failure of their crops through this time. As a result, families are food insecure and economically vulnerable while food prices at the markets continue to rise. Socio-economic changes with far reaching consequences have resulted from this condition of hunger with members sharing the following observations:

• Housebreaking and theft of food are common;
• Livestock theft is on the increase;
• Livestock death tolls are high;
• Illnesses and deaths are threatening the existence of communities;
• Families are disintegrating due to rural-urban migrations;
• Divorces are increasing as the stress on families – and on husbands as providers – heightens;
• Teenage pregnancies are becoming more common;
• Malnutrition cases are common among infants, children and adults;
• The performance of children in schools has dropped.

These visits to members have provided the Network staff with first-hand experiences of the hunger and poverty situation of our members within their communities. Some families have not had a meal for several days, living mainly on water.  The number of orphans in families and villages is alarming with some members diverting their efforts from their projects to care for orphans and the sick.

In the middle of this, there are a few members who have not given in.  They made ponds and dams to collect rain water to be used on their vegetable gardens in times of drought.  Some are rearing layer chickens to feed their families and sell to the local market.  Some are sewing and knitting school uniforms and sweaters (jerseys). Others are taking advantage of the drought to make tree cuttings and collect seeds from woodlots to start tree nurseries, which the government will then buy to plant.

We have also seen areas where greater support of member’s efforts is needed, including training and technical assistance with new projects where there is limited experience, expertise and information available.

Exchange Visit to South Africa

by TMS Letela, KKM network Coordinator

As a matter of getting to understand the PHP concept and beginning to develop a relationship between our networks, I accompanied Cindy, our Companion Facilitator, to a meeting of Sisonke Masilwe Indlala (SMI) in Polokwane, South Africa on 20-24 August.  This type of exposure was a good learning experience as it allowed me to see how networks can develop somewhat different structures and thereby function somewhat differently from each other while maintaining the same intention and integrity of the Joining Hands program.

SMI members shared with us some of their journey from their beginnings to now, lessons they have learned and insights that might be helpful for us. We enjoyed the time of fellowship together and look forward to their exhange visit to KKM sometime in 2008.

Annual General Meeting Scheduled for December

by TMS Letela, KKM network Coordinator

Our Network will hold its Annual General Meeting (AGM) in early December.  It is here that the members express their interests, concerns and map the way forward for 2008.