Climate Change Adaptation in Lesotho

The emphasis of activities was on identifying, evaluating, prioritizing and testing locally relevant adaptation practices (particularly for drought), focusing on selected areas of crops, livestock and forest-based livelihood systems, to stabilize and improve yields. Technical capacity building took place through need-based training programmes focusing on location specific adaptation practices identified. The TCP also built an information and knowledge base on climate change impacts and community-based adaptation, and harnessed existing opportunities provided by the NAPA for integration of climate change issues into national and district development plan and sectoral policies.

Project Outputs:

1) Targeted training programmes to strengthen technical capacity to address climate- related vulnerabilities and risks provided at national, district and community level and suitable adaptation strategies and practices in agriculture-based livelihood (i.e. crops, livestock and agroforestry) promoted.

2) Inventory of suitable location specific adaptation practices (i.e. crops, livestock, crops-livestock interaction and agroforestry) relevant to dryland and mountain ecosystem documented and field demonstration conducted on selected adaptation practices for farm level application and up-scaling.

3) Climate change-related impacts and vulnerabilities on crop, livestock and forest-based livelihood systems in the two major livelihood zone of the country assessed and produced; and baseline studies on local climate-related vulnerabilities and coping and adaptation strategies documented and produced.