Bio-diversity

Majantja Temong Farmers Association is proposing a 24 month project to strengthen and build the capacity of its small holder farmer groups. The main objective is to improve the conservation of agricultural biodiversity by promoting the use of local seed varieties. The Government of Lesotho introduced the open pollinated seed varieties in Lesotho up to early 1960 s and during there utilization Lesotho was even exporting wheat to South Africa. These open pollinated varieties, referred to as land races are well adapted to Lesotho s climate and are now regarded as traditional seed varieties. Although these seeds are very important for both food sovereignty and biodiversity, the seeds are slowly waning from the Lesotho s production systems due to the gradual replacement with hybrid varieties that cause irreversible genetic pollution. Whilst hybrid varieties have a higher production rate they are more susceptible to climatic changes and appear to have a higher risk of total crop failure under the current climatic conditions. To accomplish the primary objective the project will be achieves through the following: - Identification of private reserves of OPVs that have been maintained by individuals, multiplication of these seeds on a community basis involving small holder farmers groups, harvesting, processing and sale to wider community. - Through the implementation of demonstration fields by each farmers group, participants will be provided with training (practical demonstrations) which will familiarize them with the process to manage crop cycles for OPVs, particularly the selection of seeds. - Farmers groups participating in the demonstration will have a market for their seed in the Shalane input store which will develop the capacity to buy, process, package, market and sell stock of OPVs enabling the wider community to access the benefits. - By working with relevant Government Departments and other stakeholders to share knowledge on the project and promote the seed stock that is available the project will ensure that the experience and skills gained through this project can be used by others for replication. The project is addressing a problem which has been expressed by the participating farmers and they are strongly committed to the objectives of the project. The use of demonstrations and workshops to implement the project will ensure that farmers gain practical skills in the application of OPV seeds. In itself the use of OPVs will provide the participants with a sustainable seed source that can be maintained and used repeatedly for cropping without the requirement for further capital outlay. This represents a large benefit that will provide strong motivation to sustain the practices introduced in this project. Further the establishment of the OPV seed capacity at the Shalane input store allows MTFA to generate the income required to sustain the seed supply function in the future.

Lesotho