By: Thoboloko Ntšonyane
MASERU
Early action and expert-led farming initiatives have shielded thousands from the devastating impact of drought, a growing threat due to climate change. Through climate-smart agriculture such as water conservation techniques and drought-resistant crops communities have maintained food production despite erratic rainfall.
Government and development partners have played a role in providing training, irrigation support, and early warning systems, ensuring farmers adapt effectively. This organised, expert-supervised approach has safeguarded livelihoods and strengthened food security, proving that proactive measures are essential in mitigating the effects of a changing climate.
A recent report, Anticipating the Impact of Drought in Lesotho: Key Findings from the Anticipatory Action Activation 2023/24, published by the World Food Programme (WFP) last month, highlights the country’s vulnerability to climate shocks.
It states:”Lesotho is prone to drought and other climate shocks. With 50% of the population living in poverty and agriculture as a major livelihood source for 70% of the rural population, drought disrupts livelihoods and people’s ability to meet their food security, nutrition, and other essential needs.”
Recognising this risk, the WFP and the government have proactively implemented “anticipatory actions” in four pilot districts. These interventions were designed to be executed in the critical period between a drought forecast and its full impact on vulnerable communities.
Lesotho is grappling with severe drought conditions, exacerbated by the El Niño phenomenon, leading to a national disaster declaration in July 2024. Approximately 700,000 Basotho, nearly a third of the population, are experiencing acute food insecurity, with projections indicating further deterioration between October 2024 and March 2025.
The drought has resulted in significant agricultural losses, particularly in maize production, and has heightened malnutrition rates, especially among children. The situation is further compounded by environmental degradation, including soil erosion and reduced soil fertility, adversely affecting livelihoods and the agriculture-dependent economy.
The experts have encouraged the interventions focusing on food security, water, sanitation, hygiene, health, and nutrition. These efforts provide relief and build long-term resilience against climate-induced challenges.
The Lesotho Meteorological Services have forecasted below-normal rainfall and above-average temperatures for large parts of the country from October 2024 to March 2025, raising concerns about prolonged drought conditions and their impact on agriculture and water resources.
In July 2023, meteorologists forecasted a severe El Niño-induced drought for the 2023-2024 rainy season. The drought trigger thresholds were met, prompting the activation of Lesotho’s Anticipatory Action Plan (AAP) for the first time.
In response, WFP provided cash transfers, seeds, and shade nets to 41,200 people, helping them prepare for the dry season.
Also, nearly 800,000 people received early warning messages, accompanied by recommendations on withstanding the forecasted conditions. To date, WFP has disbursed approximately $3.19 million, about M58.7 million.
The programme has reportedly had an impact, shielding recipients from food insecurity and reducing the prevalence of negative coping strategies.
WFP also supported vulnerable communities through the construction and rehabilitation of boreholes and the procurement of water tanks, ensuring sustained access to safe water for both household and agricultural use.
The report further highlights that food consumption scores were highest among those who received both cash and drought-resistant seeds.
“Early warning information, including recommendations on drought-resistant practices, was widely received by those benefiting from anticipatory support (92% of respondents). The early warning information was seen as timely and clear by approximately 80% of respondents across both groups,” further reads the report.
Nearly 96% of households that received cash assistance used it to purchase food.
The 2023-2024 season had brought one of the worst El Niño-induced droughts in recent history.
An Anticipatory Action Plan (AAP) was activated in Lesotho. Implemented by the WFP, in collaboration with stakeholders, the plan was launched in July 2023 after meteorologists predicted severe drought conditions.
With 50% of the population reportedly living in poverty and 70% of rural communities relying on agriculture, droughts not only threaten food security but also livelihoods.
In July 2023, the Lesotho Meteorological Services issued a stark warning: below-normal rainfall was expected from October 2023 to February 2024.
This posed a severe threat to the November-December planting season, jeopardising the April-June 2024 harvest.
Once the drought trigger threshold was reached, the Anticipatory Action Plan was implemented in Mafeteng, Mohale’s Hoek, Quthing, and Thaba-Tseka.
The response was recorded whereby cash transfers were provided to 10,325 households for food and essential supplies; drought-tolerant seeds and shade nets were distributed to 10,284 households to enhance resilience.
Also, there was a distribution of an early warning messages reaching nearly 800,000 people, advising them on how to prepare for the drought as well as the construction and rehabilitation of the boreholes and water tanks were distributed to reinforce water supply systems.
A study comparing assisted households with those that did not receive aid showed results:
According to the report, food consumption scores among beneficiaries improved by three points, and reports of poor food consumption dropped by eight percentage points.
Further, the reliance on negative coping strategies, such as skipping meals or selling household assets, declined. The Livelihood Coping Strategy Index (LCSI) improved by 12 percentage points, while the Reduced Coping Strategy Index (rCSI) improved by 2.4 points.
Those who received both cash and agricultural support reportedly fared better than those who only received cash, underscoring the importance of holistic interventions.
An element of the anticipatory action was the early warning messaging system. Information was disseminated via radio, social media, SMS alerts, and public gatherings, ensuring communities were informed about the drought risk and how to prepare.
According to the Lesotho Meteorological Services, 80% of recipients found these messages timely and clear. However, some faced challenges in implementing the recommended actions due to resource constraints.
As the country grapples with an increasingly unpredictable climate, anticipatory action is becoming a crucial tool in disaster risk management. There are plans to expand the programme beyond the four pilot districts, integrating advanced forecasting models.
With present rains, some communities continue to recover from the drought.