Lesotho: Desertification Control Program

Synopsis

This is an overview of the situation in Lesotho with a brief summary of what the problems are and how this small mountain kingdom is dealing with them.

Key Points

• Lesotho has been faced with a problem of desertification since early 1900s. This is as a result of overgrazing (which causes inadequate vegetative cover in the rangelands), drought, torrential rains which come during one season, communal land use (Tragedy of the commons), deforestation and improper land use practices. As a result of these and the topographic nature of the country and highly erosive soils, there is formation of gullies, which drops the water table and makes it impossible for vegetation growth. These further threaten the ecological system and hence cause desertification.

• Degradation of rangelands presents the biggest challenge to Lesotho and a serious loss to biodiversity. Lesotho is experiencing a high loss of soil largely as a result of poor range management practices. Rangelands are communally used under control of the chieftainship. As mitigation, the government is encouraging the establishment of grazing associations in order to turn rangelands into a common property resource. Each grazing association is given an area (range management area) that it controls. It is believed that because of private gain, livestock owners will tend to manage and use their range management area sustainably. There are big challenges facing this new policy however largely rooted in group dynamics and political will.