Africa-Press – Lesotho. Prime Minister (PM) Dr. Moeketsi Majoro on Thursday launched 22 shearing sheds and several other developments under the Wool and Mohair Promotion Project (WAMPP).
The launch was held in Qholaqhoe, Butha-Buthe where one of the shearing facilities was enacted. It is a country-wide initiative with the goal to boost resilience to the adverse
effects of climate change and economic shocks among poor, smallholder wool and mohair producers in the mountain and foothill regions of Lesotho. The project’s
development objectives are to: enable smallholder livestock producers to generate higher incomes and more sustainable livelihoods; and increase their ability to cope with and recover from natural shocks.
Speaking at the event, Majoro stated that this project contributes significantly to his government’s mission to consider agriculture as the backbone of Lesotho’s economy.
Importance of strong agriculture he said was proven by the recent Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic where Lesotho was hit hard by lack of food security since it is highly dependent on South Africa (SA).
With over 3000 Basotho having acquired job security through this project already, only M2 millions of its M7 million budget has been exhausted. This means there is still more to
come in terms of developments. The PM also thanked IFAD and OFID for investing in the project’s various and continuous developments. He promised the organizations that the government vows
to ensure safety and sustainability of the equipment realized with the investments. During this Covid-19 crisis, he advocates for unity “in enhancing farmers’ resilience.
” LNWMGA Chairperson Mokoenehi Thinyane likewise acknowledged the developments citing
that they are going to go a long way in assisting livestock farmers with their produce. WAMPP is an initiative between the Government of Lesotho (GoL), International Fund
for Agricultural Development (IFAD), OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) and Lesotho National Wool and Mohair Growers Association (LNWMGA).
It is a seven year project signed on June 2015 and launched officially by the former PM Dr. Motsoahae Thomas Thabane on 16 June 2016. Other developments include improvement of over 40 shearing sheds across the country,
improvement and construction of access roads to the sheds, installation of water and electricity in shearing sheds and nearby villages as well as construction of two butcheries. All these developments come under WAMPP as part of its mandate to develop livestock farming.
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