CARE undertook a national survey of poverty and livelihoods in Lesotho in 1999-2000, exploring and explaining the character of and prospects for livelihoods in Lesotho. This research has fed into the development of the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper for Lesotho and helped shape an understanding of the challenges that the Basotho face, as well as ways in which outsiders can help them tackle these challenges. In 2003 CARE commissioned a literature review to help it understand trends in the security and vulnerability of Basotho livelihoods, in a historical and regional context. The study complements similar work that CARE is undertaking in Malawi and Zambia. Download here:

From 1996 to 2002, CARE has worked to demonstrate effective methodologies for improving rural livelihoods in Mohales Hoek and Quthing districts, Lesotho. The TEAM project is based on a farmer-to-farmer type extension methodology that aims to improve the knowledge and practices of rural farmers, including their decision-making and problem-solving abilities. Farmer Extension Facilitators (FEFs) form the core of the TEAM approach. FEFs are farmers who are elected by their communities to train and support other farmers, and the FEFs are themselves trained in various technology modules such as soil preparation, soil nutrition, and integrated pest management, as well as facilitation skills. TEAM developed over 40 training modules have been developed, and trained more than 200 FEFs and nearly 150 CBOs, resulting in improvements in record keeping, diversification of crops, marketing household incomes and interest in commercial agricultural production. Download here:

Elements of the TEAM approach have been adopted in the new Unified Extension System adopted by the Ministry of Agriculture, which promotes a more participatory, client-centred approach to agricultural extension. Through a new programme called LRAP (see below), CARE is acting as a technical adviser to help institutionalise this policy within the Ministry of Agriculture.

The Livelihoods Recovery through Agriculture Programme (LRAP) has the Sesotho name Lirapa meaning homestead food production, and has been designed in response to the current food crisis in Southern Africa. LRAP is being implemented jointly by CARE and the Lesotho Ministry of Agriculture to address some of the underlying causes of household vulnerability. The programme includes 4 elements : establishing a Challenge Fund to promote homestead food production by a range of local service providers; strengthening the capacity of the Ministry of Agriculture to roll out its Unified Extension policy which promotes client-led agricultural extension; development and dissemination of materials on improved homestead agricultural practices, and an action learning framework to examine household coping strategies given the increasing intensity and frequency of shocks, including climatic variation, chronic illness, retrenchment etc. LRAP is funded by the Department for International Development (DFID) from 2002 to 2005. Read more:

4.) Secure the Child (STC)

As part of the development of the Highlands Water Scheme between South Africa and Lesotho, CARE has been commissioned by the Lesotho Highlands Development Authority (LHDA) to promote forestry-based livelihoods in the Katse Local Catchment. Lesotho forestry policy aims to promote decentralised, market driven forestry services, such as through private nurseries. CARE is working to operationalise this policy, building the capacity of community organisations and supporting private forestry entrepreneurs. To promote viability in enterprise development as well as livelihood impacts, CARE has linked tree nurseries to production of a wider array of seedlings (e.g. high value and traditional crops) to support local livelihoods. At an institutional level, CARE is supporting integrated catchment management approaches as a mechanism for resolving conflicts between different land user groups, such as herders and those who want to plant trees.

Through the support of USAID, a consortium of CARE South Africa Lesotho, CRS and World Vision International (grant holder) conceptualised and launched the Consortium for Southern Africa Food Security Emergency (C-SAFE Lesotho) program in 2002. This program is planned to implement over a period of three years. CSAFE Lesotho adopted a developmental relief model to adequately and appropriately respond to the Southern Africa regional food emergency. Through this approach, immediate food needs of vulnerable communities are met concurrently with programs that focus on the longer-term priorities of agriculture rehabilitation and food security resilience. The approach is intended to support vulnerable communities in building productive livelihood assets in affected communities and addressing chronic problems to food security.

C-SAFE Lesotho started implementing a developmental relief program in October 2004; using food assistance in the form of food for assets to build productive agricultural assets in targeted vulnerable rural communities. Within the consortium in Lesotho; CARE was the first organisation to commence with project activities in November 2004 through the establishment of homestead gardens. Activities are implemented by CARE Lesotho in partnership with TEBA Development in four southern districts namely Mafeteng, Mohale’s Hoek, Quthing and Qacha’s Nek. Projects activities are in the Senqu river valley and the foothills which constitute the most food insecure areas.

The programme currently has 5,583 beneficiaries, 63% of whom are women. Out of the 3,431 Metric Tonnes of emergency food allocated to CARE, 2,153 Metric Tonnes of food has been distributed. Significant impact has been made on people’s livelihoods through vegetable gardens, farming techniques that preserve labour and conserve the environment. The support and skills gained by beneficiaries through this program have also enabled them to have regular supplies of food for consumption and for income generating activities.