At a glance
- Ministry of Agriculture and WFP convene stakeholder meeting on crop insurance and smart subsidies
- Smart subsidy programme to be data-driven and more targeted for smallholder farmers
- Agricultural insurance to cover losses from natural disasters
- WFP reviewing progress since August 2025 on the joint project
The Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition, together with the World Food Programme (WFP), convened a stakeholder meeting to deliberate on crop insurance and smart subsidies — measures intended to support farmers, particularly smallholders, as they contend with climate change and other pressures.
Director of Field Services Thabo Sekhonyana explained that the smart subsidy programme will be redesigned to be more targeted and data-driven, making resource allocation fairer and more efficient for smallholder farmers. He added that agricultural insurance will be introduced to shield farmers from losses caused by natural disasters.
Collaboration among stakeholders is key to building a strong agricultural sector.
Sekhonyana noted that the ministry is also pursuing digital transformation to improve service delivery. The meeting reviewed past farming seasons to identify gaps and draw recommendations, with officials stressing that coordinated efforts across stakeholders are essential to the sector’s resilience.
WFP’s Nancy Chawawa said the gathering was aimed at updating stakeholders on developments since August 2025, accounting for both the project’s achievements and the obstacles encountered. The initiative forms part of broader efforts to promote agricultural investment and build a more resilient farming environment in Lesotho.
Smallholder farmers — considered central to Lesotho’s agricultural sector — are expected to be the primary beneficiaries. With improved insurance coverage and better-targeted subsidies, farmers would be better positioned to invest in their operations, potentially lifting both productivity and food security.
The meeting concluded with stakeholders reaffirming their commitment to working collectively on the challenges facing the farming community. Both the Ministry of Agriculture and WFP expressed confidence that, with the right support structures in place, the agricultural sector can become more adaptive and productive.
