FAO

Amidst craggy peaks and rolling highland plateaus characteristic of the Lesotho’s terrain, there is a remote town in the mountains of Maseru District where Mabitsoane Diholo goes every day to work on her farm. The humble potato is her main crop, but humble no longer describes its place in her life.  

“This potato has built my house. It has educated my children,” says Mabitsoane, the 53-year-old farmer and mother of seven. “I used to grow potatoes just to eat at home and feed my children. Now, it is my livelihood.” 

Once grown mainly for family consumption, the potato is now a symbol of national transformation. Choosing this tuber as its priority product, Lesotho joined the One Country One Priority Product (OCOP) initiative of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in 2022. 

Mabitsoane is one of 750 farmers who FAO supported through this initiative. A lead farmer and active member of the Potato Lesotho Association, she also runs a roadside eatery and mentors others in her community.  

Whereas she used to sell whatever potatoes she had leftover by the road, with her increased volume thanks in part to seeds and fertilizers provided by FAO, she now sells to Maluti Fresh Produce Market in Maseru. A primary activity of the OCOP project is to connect farmers to local markets to stabilize and increase their income from these priority crops.  

Maluti Fresh Produce Market manager, Thabo Khalema says, “This market is pivotal in Lesotho’s horticulture industry.” He continues, “It gives local farmers a path to commercial farming, with fair pricing, transparency and real income. They’re no longer just producers — they’re entrepreneurs.” 

“I get paid twice a week. This has changed our lives,” Mabitsoane comments. “Before, we sold by the roadside and got cheated. Now, people come back again and again because they know my potatoes are good.” 

“In Lesotho, the potato was already widely grown,” explains Nthimo Mokitinyane, FAO’s OCOP Focal Point in Lesotho. “But what was missing was coordination. Now, with better seeds, improved practices and market access, farmers are moving from subsistence to commercial farming.” 

He points to productivity increases of up to 20 percent in pilot areas. With the training they received through the OCOP initiative, he states, “We’re seeing farmers make decisions based on data — about what to plant, when and how to market it. It’s no longer guesswork — it’s business.” 

Women at the forefront 

More than 60 percent of OCOP-supported farmers are women. “They are the first to show up, to try new practices and to share knowledge,” Mokitinyane says.  

“I’m not working for myself only,” Mabitsoane says. “I’m working to uplift my fellow women. This project is giving us power to take care of our families.” 

This sense of empowerment resonates with Maleuta Mahao, a 27-year-old who started farming just two years ago. “I used to think farming was just digging,” she says. “Now I know it’s business — about profit, planning and feeding the nation.” 

Maleuta began with just 25 kilograms of seed and recently harvested over 300 kilograms of potatoes. She says that the OCOP project helped her believe in herself.  “I want to be a big farmer and inspire others. People in the village ask me, ‘How did you do it?’ I tell them: ‘start small, work hard and keep going’.”  

“Women have been at the forefront of agricultural production for decades,” explains His Majesty King Letsie III of Lesotho, an FAO Special Goodwill Ambassador for Nutrition. “If we unlock the commercial potential of the potato, it can empower rural women and attract young people struggling to find jobs.” 

Transforming farming into business 

Lesotho’s high-altitude climate offers ideal conditions for potato farming, and the crop is central to the country’s strategy for food security and economic resilience. But turning potential into reality requires investment, markets and innovation. 

“Farmers need to know their produce will sell and generate income to reinvest in farming,” King Letsie III. 

Kutloelo Kothoelo Molapo, Project Coordinator of the Potato Lesotho Association, says OCOP has redefined how farmers operate. “Our members used to be subsistence growers,” she explains. “Now they’re talking about contracts, quality standards and profit margins. The mindset has changed.” 

The Association now works closely with farmers to meet market demands — from consistent supply to post-harvest handling. “Buyers want clean, sorted potatoes with no rot. Our farmers are delivering that,” Molapo says. 

This growing commercial awareness is critical. According to Minister of Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition, Thabo Mofosi, “OCOP is a game-changer. We used to rely heavily on imports… Now, with this initiative, we’re building local capacity to produce more.” 

Mofosi says the goal is not just food security but economic transformation. “We are supporting the entire value chain — production, processing, transport and markets. That means jobs, income and dignity.” 

Maleuta is already dreaming big. “I want to grow for the whole country — not just for my village,” she says. “I want to build something lasting.” 

For the more experienced Mabitsoane, farming has also become a means to invest in education. Her daughter is now at university, inspired by her mother’s journey. “She wants to be like me,” Mabitsoane says proudly. “A businesswoman.” 

This transformation — from subsistence to entrepreneurship — is what OCOP enables. 

“I have high hopes for the children of farming communities,” says King Letsie III. “My biggest hope is that they grow as healthy citizens, nourished by nutritious foods produced in rural areas, enabling them to be productive adults.” 

FAO’s OCOP initiative works by helping countries focus on one strategic crop and strengthen its full value chain — from seeds to sales. For Lesotho, the potato is no longer just a staple. It’s a catalyst — for women’s empowerment, youth employment and a more resilient rural future. 

Every 16 October – World Food Day – is a chance to celebrate food heroes around the world. From farmers and fishers to innovators and chefs, food heroes are leading local and global efforts to create more sustainable and resilient agrifood systems. But we can all be food heroes: respect food, eliminate waste, reduce unnecessary consumption. Our actions are our future. Let’s build a better one together.