Supporting Lesotho's Horticulture Transformation

From Fields to Future - A New Centre to Strengthen Food Security and Rural Entrepreneurship in Lesotho

March 30, 2026

Photo of a warehouse with rows of open cardboard boxes filled with green apples. — Apples from Lesotho Horticultural Incubation and Training Centre at Mahobong in Leribe, packed and ready to go

Refuoe Kajane

In short:

UNDP with the World Bank and Government of Lesotho, are helping Basotho farmers grow more crops for better food and income by launching a state-of-art facility in Mahobong, Leribe.
The new training centre equips farmers with practical skills to run successful businesses and grow from farming for their communities into commercial growth and production.
The program has already created 170 jobs and helped start 7 new commercial fruit orchards.
This initiative is building a stronger future for rural communities, especially helping young people and women start their own farms.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the World Bank through Competitiveness and Financial Inclusion (CAFI) Project and the Government of Lesotho, are driving the transformation of Lesotho’s horticulture sector to strengthen food security, empower rural communities, and promote inclusive economic growth.

This collaboration was celebrated in early March during the official launch of the Lesotho Horticultural Incubation and Training Centre at Mahobong in Leribe, a state-of-the-art facility designed to equip farmers with practical skills, business incubation support, and market access to transition from subsistence farming to commercial production.

Through this initiative UNDP, with additional financial support from India, Brazil and South Africa (IBSA) facility, have supported the procurement of a state-of-the-art sorting and packing line valued at approximately US$200,000 that is installed at the new packing facility. This has supported in the creation 76,000 deciduous fruit seedlings and other agricultural inputs valued at US$98,000 across beneficiary orchards. The programme also offers hands-on training, technical assistance, and incubation services that enable farmers to strengthen value chains, expand production, and explore new markets.

Speaking at the launch, UNDP Resident Representative to Lesotho, Dr. Jacqueline Olweya, reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to Lesotho’s agricultural transformation.

Speaker at podium with two microphones at official launch; crowd in white shirts behind. — UNDP Lesotho's Resident Representative, Dr. Jacqueline Olweya, speaking at the launch

Refuoe Kajane

“UNDP, together with the Government of Lesotho and development partners, will continue to support farmers in scaling commercial horticulture, expanding market access, and adopting climate-smart practices ... this centre is a national asset that will build skills, entrepreneurship, and opportunities, especially for youth and women.”

Dr. Jacqueline Olweya

The centre has already delivered measurable results. To date, 190 farmers have completed pre-incubation training, while 80 farmers have received advanced horticultural training. From this group, nine farms entered full incubation, resulting in the establishment of seven new commercial orchards. These efforts have created 170 jobs and strengthened post-harvest value addition through a state-of-the-art sorting and packing line valued at approximately US$200,000, enabling farmers to meet market standards and access higher-value markets.

In addition to supporting farmers directly, the programme has strengthened institutions by establishing and registering the Horticulture Association of Lesotho, which provides a platform for advocacy, collective marketing, and collaboration among farmer organisations.

The launch event brought together government officials, development partners, and local leaders. His Majesty King Letsie III, African Union Nutrition Champion and FAO Special Goodwill Ambassador for Nutrition, highlighted the importance of agriculture in improving nutrition and creating economic opportunities for Basotho. He emphasized his vision of a Lesotho where children are well-nourished, youth become entrepreneurs, women expand into agro-processing, and rural communities emerge as hubs of innovation and productivity.

Minister of Trade, Industry, and Business Development Mokhethi Shelile noted that the centre marks a key milestone in Lesotho’s path toward a productive, export-driven economy. He highlighted horticulture’s central role in food security, employment creation, and private sector-led growth, aligning with the extended National Strategic Development Plan II and the National Trade Strategy.

Local leadership also expressed strong support for the initiative. Principal Chief of Leribe Joel Motšoene encouraged collaboration between communities and institutions to expand the programme across the country, while Area Chief of Mahobong Mosito Khethisa pledged to protect the facilities to ensure their sustainability.

Located at the former Mahobong Campus of the Institute of Extra Mural Studies (EIMS), the Horticulture Incubation and Training Centre builds on lessons from pilot deciduous fruit farms and addresses gaps in access to land, infrastructure, technical skills, finance, and markets. By promoting climate-smart agriculture and commercial farming, the facility contributes to scaling the sector and supporting Lesotho’s journey toward sustainable, inclusive development.

Through continued partnerships with the government, development partners, and the private sector, UNDP is helping Lesotho harness the potential of horticulture to drive food security, create jobs, and empower youth and women, ensuring that rural communities play a central role in national development.