Lesotho Launches Youth-Focused Seedling Distribution to Boost Food Security

On November 20, 2025, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, in collaboration with the Smallholders Agricultural Development Project II (SADPII), distributed seedlings to young people from ten districts of Lesotho at the Agricultural College in Maseru. The initiative is designed to empower youth and strengthen the country’s efforts to achieve food security.

Honourable Minister Thabo Mofosi clarified that the seedling distribution is not meant to provide direct employment. Instead, it aims to enable young people to generate opportunities for other Basotho youth. He encouraged participants to take ownership of the initiative and contribute actively to the country’s agricultural development. Minister Mofosi also pledged to visit each district to provide guidance and support, ensuring the project makes meaningful progress.

Principal Secretary Dr Khothatso Ts’ooana welcomed attendees to the Agricultural College and highlighted the initiative as evidence of the Ministry’s commitment to youth empowerment and food security. He expressed appreciation to partners and staff who facilitated the project and encouraged young people to fully utilise the seedlings to achieve productive outcomes.

Stephen Mohobela, representing the youth beneficiaries, expressed gratitude to the Ministry and partners for their support. He described the seedlings as a symbol of trust in the potential of young Basotho and a motivation to actively contribute to agriculture and national food security. “We promise to use them responsibly and productively,” he concluded.

The seedling distribution project aligns with broader efforts to modernise agriculture in Lesotho while fostering youth participation in economic development. By providing access to seedlings, training, and guidance, the initiative is expected to increase agricultural productivity, create youth-led employment opportunities, and strengthen national food security. The project demonstrates a strategic approach to combining youth empowerment with agricultural development, positioning young Basotho as key drivers of change in the sector.