Boosting Women’s Capacity in Agroecology

Katleho Mohanoe

The Hope Of Rural Women’s Assembly (HRWA) in Lesotho is taking steps to enhance women’s capacity in agroecology in order to address issues of gender-based violence (GBV) and gender inequality in farming.

The initiative by HRWA Lesotho is inspired by the story of a 20-year-old girl from a rural area in Quthing who was molested and raped by her own father when she was 16, back in January 2020, within the confines of her own home.

At the time, she was living with her paternal grandmother, who raised her and her two younger brothers, as her mother had left due to violent abuse from her father.

One evening, while her grandmother was out collecting firewood, her father called her into the house and raped her.

She reported the incident to the local counselor, and the matter was then escalated to the headman. She was taken to a hospital in town and also reported the incident at the police station. Tearfully, she described the process as the most heartbreaking experience she had ever gone through.

Initially, it was difficult for her to answer some of the questions related to the incident, as it was still fresh, and she was extremely fragile. The hardest part was having to recount her ordeal over and over again. Her life turned upside down after that rape.

To her utter dismay, her own grandmother accused her of putting her son in jail and bringing shame and starvation to the family, as her father was the breadwinner. She dropped out of school as she became a target of ridicule by her classmates. Her aunts blamed her for the rape and even encouraged her, at some point, to withdraw the case.

The Prime Minister of Lesotho, Ntsokoane Samuel Matekane, has declared a national food insecurity disaster due to the severe food shortages faced by 70,000 Basotho people.

According to the World Food Programme (WFP), poverty in Lesotho is widespread and persistent, particularly in rural areas. Nearly half of the population in Lesotho (49.7 percent) lives in poverty, and almost a quarter (24.1 percent) live in extreme poverty, below the poverty line.

Poverty and hunger contribute to gender-based violence, with women and girls being the most affected. HRWA Lesotho is intensifying the fight against GBV through feminist agroecology, which aims to address the gender inequalities within the agricultural sector.

The Public Relations Officer of HRWA Lesotho highlighted in an interview that feminist agroecology recognizes and promotes the historical social and farming practices of women. It provides an opportunity to rectify the current unequal relations within the food system.Currently, women and girls make up 43 percent of the agricultural workforce, and 80 percent of food production occurs on family farms. However, women and girls face limited access to productive resources. HRWA Lesotho empowers women and girls to fully engage in agroecology, a sustainable farming method that combines traditional indigenous farming knowledge with agricultural sciences to produce culturally appropriate and healthy food.

Anna Shale, from Upper Moyeni, Quthing, expressed how HRWA has transformed her life, stating, “Thanks to my experience learning about organic farming in Mozambique, I am now a knowledgeable farmer. I have diversified the crops in my gardens and fields, and I find great joy in sharing my farming skills and the knowledge I gained abroad with local women. Additionally, I continue to learn new skills, such as making sweets, mayonnaise, and peanut butter.”

Mathutha Sithole, a resident of Mantšaneng Mafeteng, happily confirmed, “HRWA has brought significant positive changes to my life. I have become a successful businesswoman, producing mats and hats. My gardens are now abundant with crops like cabbage, carrots, and potatoes. In the past, providing enough food for my children was a struggle, but now I am involved in agribusiness. The crops I grow are fresh, tasty, and delicious. I am extremely grateful to HRWA, and I wish I had discovered their support earlier.”

Women and girls cultivate a diverse range of crops, including cabbages, maize, onions, carrots, and green peppers. They also create various artistic products, such as Sesotho brooms, beaded jewelry, mats, and hats. Furthermore, they rear chickens, including egg-laying hens and those intended for consumption.

HRWA Lesotho aims to reach as many Basotho women and girls as possible through its comprehensive programmes, projects, and workshops.