LESOTHO COMPETITIVENESS AND FINANCIAL INCLUSION PROJECT – CALL FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST: INCUBATION OF LESOTHO DECIDUOUS FRUIT FARMERS

LESOTHO COMPETITIVENESS AND FINANCIAL INCLUSION PROJECT

(LESOTHO HORTICULTURAL INCUBATION & TRAINING CENTRE)

CALL FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST

FOR

INCUBATION OF LESOTHO DECIDUOUS FRUIT FARMERS

The Government of Lesotho, through the World Bank financed Competitiveness and Financial Inclusion (CAFI) Project, is supporting the establishment of Lesotho Horticultural Incubation and Training Centre (LHITC), located at Mahobong in Leribe district, with the objective of scaling and replicating existing deciduous fruit commercial orchards and attracting new investments into the horticulture sector. The pilot farms established under the first and second World Bank financed Private Sector Competitiveness and Economic Diversification projects (PSCEDP) have successfully demonstrated the commercial potential to produce deciduous fruits in Lesotho for both the domestic and export markets, and there is already significant interest from investors in commercial horticulture. However, these investments can only be realized with a coordinated effort to address land administration challenges including the availability of land parcels of adequate size for commercial scale production and adopting a transparent leasing system to achieve a credible land ownership. There is also a need for coordinated infrastructure investments in irrigation, electricity, roads, packhouses, phytosanitary inspection systems and grading, and private-public partnerships to deliver effective training and skills, and impactful extension services. It is against this background that the Government of Lesotho has established the Lesotho Horticultural Incubation and Training Centre.

The LHITC is in an existing facility which is owned by the National University of Lesotho (NUL) and it is adjacent to the two existing pilot commercial farms. The Centre is operated in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition, and the National University of Lesotho (NUL).

The objective of LHITC is to provide support for scaling commercial horticulture farming in Lesotho, building on the experience of the current pilot commercial farms and addressing gaps in the value chain, access to suitable land, infrastructure, extension services, skills, finance, and markets while promoting climate smart agricultural practices. 

The LHITC is currently incubating the first cohort of 7 deciduous fruit farmers.

The CAFI Project Management Unit, now invites farmers and companies to indicate their interest to participate in the second cohort of the full horticultural incubation program of deciduous fruit. Interested farmers should provide information demonstrating that they meet eligibility criteria below. 

The selection criteria will be based on the following key requirements: 

Applicants (individual farmers or registered companies ) must have:

1. Access to suitable land minimum of 3 ha and maximum of 5 ha owned or rented for a period of at least 30 years if rented, with a proof of land ownership documents in the name of the farmer or registered entity. The required acceptable documents are Form Cs, Leases, or subleases (if the land is rented).  The Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition must confirm the land size in hectares.
2. The site must be close to a reliable source of quality irrigation water that will provide adequate water to irrigate an orchard of 3ha to 5ha depending on availability of site.
3. Access road linking the site with the main road and should be in a good condition and not longer than 2 km.
4. The orchard site must be less than 0.5 km to electricity supply or other sustainable sources of power for irrigation and other functions of the orchard.
5. The company must have a formally registered entity for the application process.
6. The registered company must submit a CV of the Managing Director of the entity.
7. Experience in commercial farming will be an added advantage.
8. Suitable sites that are located within 50 km radius from LHITC at Mahobong, in Leribe district will be prioritized.

Format of EOI submissions

The applicants should include at least the following information in their submissions to enable objective assessment of the expressions of interest:

• Entity information including name, address, cell phone, working e-mail, website (if any), names of a Project Manager (if different from applicant).
• Certified copies of land ownership documents.
• Proof of hectarage from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition.
• Description of the location of the site where the orchard is intended to be established.

Further information and suitability maps can be obtained at the address below during office hours [08h00 to 16h30 local time].

Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form, in sealed envelopes labelled “Incubation of Lesotho Deciduous Fruit Farmers” to the address below in person or by e-mail on or before April 16, 2026, at 16h00. E-mail submissions should be sent to tmohejane@cafi.org.ls with a copy tonleutsoa@cafi.org.ls and ltsoinyane@cafi.org.ls  

Managing Director

Lesotho Competitiveness and Financial Inclusion Project

1^st Floor ‘Matanki House

P.O. Box 747,

Maseru 100

Lesotho

Tel.: (+266) 22 315 100

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