The role of extension support to irrigation farmers in Lesotho

Abstract

Lesotho has plenty of water resources which could be used to improve the livelihoods of
 Basotho as a nation in many aspects. However, this seems not to be the case as Lesotho
 suffers from food security mostly during severe droughts, to an extent of seeking support from
 international communities. The purpose of this paper is to elaborate on the very important
 role extension support should play in the practising of sustainable irrigation farming by
 smallholders. A structural questionnaire was administered amongst 153 irrigation farmers
 and 31 extension officers randomly in the four southern districts of Lesotho, namely Maseru,
 Mafeteng, Mohale’s Hoek and Quthing. Extension credibility is highly questionable as 70%
 of irrigation farmers do not regard extension as important for irrigation management
 decisions. Although extension workers are generally well qualified, no in-service training is
 offered to help with the skilling of extensionists regarding irrigation management.
 Consequently the extension workers consider them not competent to provide support for
 irrigation farming. These results suggest the need for greater political and institutional input
 in irrigation farming; in particular there is a need to revisit institutional policy instruments
 and institution for extension, technical assistance, training and credit services that will
 facilitate performance of irrigation farming in Lesotho.

http://www.journals.co.za/ej/ejour_agri.html

nf2012