Africa-Press – Lesotho. BIn an effort to expand farming in the country, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security through National Breeding Program launched Wool and Mohair Promotion Project (WAMPP)
on Wednesday. The project is intended to address issues of rural poverty and food insecurity in the context of climate change and the increasing vulnerability of poor livestock producers.
The intention is also to boost the economic and climate change resilience for smallholder wool and mohair producers to adhere to climate change in the
mountainous and foothills regions of Lesotho. WAMPP project covers all ten districts with focus on only five being; Mokhotlong, Thaba Tseka, Quthing, Butha-Buthe and Maseru.
Speaking at the launch, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Hon. Tefo Mapesela said his ministry signed a contract with the National University of Lesotho (NUL) for undertaking
research in the fields of animal nutrition, breeding and health. He stated that the research had a gist of contribution from the Ministry of Agriculture
Research, Lesotho Agricultural College and the Department of Livestock Services under WAMPP. Mapesela said it is his hope that the information would not be kept in scientific journals but be
simplified and made relevant to benefit the wool and mohair producers in the country. He acknowledged the continuous support of their development partners,
singling out the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) which has funded the investment that the ministry was officially launching. He also
recognized contributions of the Lesotho National Wool and Mohair Growers Association (LNWMGA) in successfully managing breeding centres. Mapesela further thanked
NUL and the University of Free State (UoFS) for their effortless contribution and sacrifices in their research, which ensured success of the launch, saying
their hard work is recognised and commendable. The LNWMGA National Chairperson Mokunihi Thinyane expressed his appreciation to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and other stakeholders for ensuring the successes
of the national breeding program. Thinyane said in three years to come, farmers will no longer import Marino sheep and Angora goats because the country will
have enough to supply farmers. He added that they have no laboratory for blood keeping for breeding animals, pleading with the government and other funding
stakeholders for structuring of such laboratory. Speaking on behalf of IFAD, Dr. Mampiti Matete thanked the Ministry and other supporting teams, saying they
would not be where they are today without their hard work. Dr. Matete said unless farmers treat their livestock as business, they will not graduate into
being commercial farmers who would sustain the growth of the economy. Also on behalf of the NUL acting Vice Chancellor, Professor Beatrice Ekanjume said through this project, they have formed a formidable partnership with LNWMGA and the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.
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