Cracking the Lock of Geography

Completely surrounded by regional powerhouse South Africa, Lesotho is the only country in the world that lies entirely 1,000 meters above sea level. This highland nation made steady progress in cutting poverty in the early 2000s, yet according to the UN Development Programme almost half of its 2.2 million population still lives below the poverty line. 

Climate change is making matters worse, ushering in dryer and hotter conditions, evaporating water reserves and playing havoc with established rainfall patterns. This makes it progressively harder for farmers to work the land and raise livestock; and as agricultural production declines, food insecurity is deepening across the country. 

The World Bank said in its climate risk profile, 2021: “Lesotho’s geographical characteristics and socio-economic conditions, particularly for its rural population, make it one of the most vulnerable countries to the impacts of climate change. The country is additionally vulnerable due to its high dependence on rain-fed agriculture and reliance on regional, imported energy supplies.” 

That was the stark backdrop to the “Regeneration of Landscape and Livelihood Project” (ROLL) that is targeting rural communities across Lesotho. Signed in May 2022 with an OPEC Fund contribution of US$19 million, the project aims to cut environmental degradation and secure funding to regenerate landscapes. It also aims to shift mindsets regarding the use of natural resources in order to improve livelihoods. 

OPEC Fund President Abdulhamid Alkhalifa said: “We are proud to support this innovative, inclusive and important project. By adopting sustainable land management practices, leading to a better integration of the agricultural ecosystem, strengthening of climate change resilience and diversification of household incomes, rural communities will be able to transform landscapes and livelihoods, reversing the downward spiral of over-exploited natural resources, declining productivity, poor nutrition and increased poverty.” 

To find out more about developments on the ground amid ongoing UN climate change negotiations, we spoke with Maphakamile Xingwana, Principal Secretary at the Ministry of Environment and Forestry of Lesotho. 

Maphakamile Xingwana 

Principal Secretary at the Ministry of Environment and Forestry of the Kingdom of Lesotho. Represents her country at international organizations such as, for example, the Green Environment Facility and the Southern African Development Community. Holds a Master’s Degree in Leadership and Change Management from Leeds Metropolitan University, UK, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture. 

OPEC Fund Quarterly: As a landlocked developing country, what are the main challenges facing Lesotho in terms of climate change and food insecurity? 

Maphakamile Xingwana: We are indeed landlocked, which means we have no direct access to the outside world. It’s a fundamental fact of life for Lesotho, affecting every sector and every policy area of the government. We therefore need to develop ways, means and strategies to expand our partnerships with the international community – to leverage ourselves out of our landlocked status. 

With respect to climate change, Lesotho is not an industrialized nation so it’s clear that we’re suffering the consequences of other countries’ actions. That extends to food insecurity because climate change is directly impacting our agriculture and livestock sectors. At the very least we need to acquire seed varieties that are more resistant to the impacts of climate change, including higher temperatures and less water. 

OFQ: What was your verdict on the UN Climate Change Conference COP28? What are your hopes for the Loss and Damage Fund? 

MX: COP28 was the first UN Climate Change Conference attended by Lesotho. We had to work hard, but it was highly beneficial because it gave us the chance to meet a lot of people from many different organizations. It helped us to broaden our horizons and we quickly understood that there are opportunities to be seized from collaborations and partnerships. COP28 allowed us to explain our situation to the international community, helping us to gather information and devise new strategies. 

With regards to the Loss and Damage Fund our hopes are high. It took a long time to negotiate, but we were extremely happy to see it agreed. I understand that there is going to be a board that governs the Fund, ensuring proper implementation, and I understand that the board will include one country from the south of Africa. I have volunteered my country for that. I also understand that the terms and conditions for accessing the Fund will not exclude developing countries like Lesotho. 

OFQ: How important are partnerships in our Regeneration of Landscape and Livelihood Project (ROLL)? 

MX: The relationships that I’ve seen within ROLL provide a conducive environment for a project to run. It is giving us strength day in, day out. Meanwhile, the people in the catchment areas have been made fully aware of their roles and responsibilities by the relevant ministries. That is the point of departure to improve livelihoods because people now understand the importance of conserving their natural resource base. The project is helping us to make our communities much more sustainable. Ultimately, we aim to seek a second phase that would eventually cover the entire country. 

The OPEC Fund & Lesotho 

To date, the OPEC Fund has approved 19 loans in the public sector for US$127.7 million in Lesotho. The OPEC Fund has also provided US$1.8 million in four national grants supporting solar energy, child care and emergency food aid. 

Example 

Dating back to 1988, the Oxbow- Mokhotlong Road Project is one of the OPEC Fund’s oldest engagements in the country and was renewed with a second stage in the 1990s. In total a contribution of US$3 million co-financed the upgrading of 109 km road to bitumen standards and the reconstruction of 72 km of gavel road from Oxbow to Mokhotlong in the North-East of the country. 

Regeneration of Landscape and Livelihood Project 

The ROLL project aims to improve livelihoods and promote resource-use practices, reducing environmental degradation in well over 2,000 villages inhabited by around half a million people. Of these, 40 percent will be women and 20 percent will be young people who will benefit from the creation of new income generating activities. 

Project components include a “Regeneration Coalition Facility”, gathering various stakeholders to identify promising measures, as well as a “Regeneration Opportunities Fund” to catalyze investments in land regeneration projects. Technical assistance is also being provided to rural SMEs wanting to shift to more sustainable practices, while seed funding is supporting research and development. 

The OPEC Fund is co-financing the program with the International Fund for Agricultural Development, the Global Environment Facility, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the government of Lesotho and others.