Improving the livelihood of Destitute Communities in Lesotho, especially HIV infected and affected Households
Beneficiaries
Estimated 1000 beneficiaries from 3 Community Councils in the Mafeteng District where WFP is operational will benefit from the intervention. The beneficiaries will be linked with existing District Farmers forum to facilitate market linkages (aggregation business model) in Mafeteng for sustainability of the intervention. The smallholder farmers in the district of Mafeteng, who are already organised for production and marketing of Bio-fortified -NUA45 bean commodity, poultry and fresh produce (vegetables) have come together to increase their bargaining power to negotiate agricultural inputs and to sell their produce to local retailers. So they will also benefit from the intervention. The beneficiary groups will be facilitated and linked to existing smallholder farmer organisations so that they may also play an important role in coaching farmers/PLHIV/Orphans to produce based on market demands.
The Project covers the following Councils and villages
| Community Council | EDs | Villages targeted |
| Makoabating | Covers more than one ED | Ha Masopha and neighbouring villages |
| Qibing | Covers more than one ED | Ha Lekhari & neighbouring villages |
| Mamants’o Community Council) | Covers more than one ED. | Tsita’s nek & neighbouring villages |
Duration of the project :13 July 2020 to 30 June 2021
1.Promotion of production of bio-fortified beans
The intervention will be to promote and facilitate consumption, production and marketing of bio-fortified beans (NUA45). The beneficiaries will be supplied with NUA45 beans for their immediate nutrition and will also be supplied with initial NUA45 seed and training. Training will expose them to beans which are not only rich in protein but also fortified with iron, and zinc and their diverse meal recipes. The beans are highly recommended for pregnant mothers, children, people with compromised immune system and old people.
Once all the 1000 beneficiaries participate in the production of bio-fortified NUA45 bean commodity, local production will be boosted as well as improve their availability in the local markets and potentially generate income in rural areas for benefit of PLHIV and affected households.
2. Promote vegetable gardening
In order to contribute to good nutrition for vulnerable households, vegetable gardening will be promoted. The services to the 1000 beneficiaries include: provision of demonstration training and technical support for construction of keyhole and or double digging gardens combined with information on nutrition. Each of the 1000 beneficiaries will each receive a starter package consisting of vegetable seeds–50gr. each- (carrot, Radish, Turnip, butternut and spinach).
3. Savings and Internal Lending Communities (SILC) and Market linkage groups
In order to respond to lack of access to credit lines in the district for this type of beneficiaries we are supporting, training on savings and internal lending (SILC) will be facilitated as alternative to formal means of savings and credit. The intervention will mobilize beneficiaries and facilitate 18 SILC groups, 3 in each of the three community councils. Once mobilized they will be trained and assisted to set up a SILC groups including good governance and transparency of the SILC groups. The SILC group will play a big role to close the lack of credit for rural communities. Once available they will be able to engage in production and income generating groups. The trainings and events will also mainstream WHO COVID-19 guidelines.
The SILC groups will also be facilitated to appreciate market access and be linked to the Mafeteng District Farmers Forum for marketing of their produce. It should be noted that the depth of the engagement and organisation will depend on the duration of the intervention since organising and actually accessing the market is a complex and dynamic process.
4. Village Poultry Production
RSDA will support beneficiaries with 4 weeks age vaccinated village chickens (Boschveld) to 1000 beneficiaries. The chicks will be supplied from our village chicken demonstration farm in Mafeteng, Tsita’s Nek. The farm is maintaining parent stock, sells fertile eggs and runs a hatchery for production of day old chicks. Our price for four weeks chicks is 55.00 Maloti per chick and we also offer chicken crates for transportation of chicks to all 3 listed Community Councils as well as starter feed meant to help chickens to adapt to feed available in the communities. Each beneficiary will be supported with a starter package of 5 chickens and starter feed. RSDA has partnered with a Vet who takes care of veterinary issues including vaccinations for Newcastle disease, while our Farm Manager deals with production.
5. WASH Activities
With the advent of covid-19, RSDA has begun to adhere to the covid-19 guidelines. RSDA has not done WASH activities in the past and is willing to learn on the job with support from WFP to initiate WASH appreciation in the communities working with village health workers in the project sites in case where the relationship of socio-economic factors and bio-medical indictors of People living with HIV and TB needs to be explored. However, at the moment RSDA does not have any MOU with the MOH. We will need support from WFP on this one.
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