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NEWS |
20 August 2007
Sustainable Land Management in Lesotho
Land management remains an intractable problem for Lesotho
threatening agricultural production despite the fact that in the
face of increasing unemployment the majority of the people continue
to depend on the land for survival. The implications of current
unsustainable land management patterns and epic land degradation
trends transcend national boundaries.
The Global Environment Facility (GEF) is the biggest financial
mechanism facility for the implementation of local level actions to
solve global problems. As a result of the restructuring of the
Global Environment Facility (GEF) during the present 4th cycle,
countries would now access funds within the framework of the
Strategic Investment Programme (SIP). SIP seeks to forge a more
comprehensive and coordinated resource mobilization and partnership
strategy effort between the GEF and Implementing/Executing Agencies
(including UNDP); taking into consideration Sustainable Land
Management’s (SLM’s) inextricable linkages with climate change,
agriculture, food security, water and poverty reduction.
Over successive programming cycles UNDP Lesotho continues to play a
significant role in assisting the country to access GEF funds to
leverage sustainable development initiatives in most of the focal
areas including SLM. Currently a medium sized project funded to the
tune of US$1 million has been approved for implementation by the
Ministry of Forestry and Land Reclamation (MoFLR) through UNDP The
project’s aim is to document, disseminate and upscale innovative
land management initiatives.
From 13th -15th of AUGUST 2007 NEPAD/UNDP-GEF Regional Office
fielded a joint reconnaissance mission to Lesotho to explore
possibilities of a programmatic approach to SLM in Lesotho within
the framework of SIP and Terrafrica. It was noted that there was a
recent budgetary allocation of the equivalent of US$ 12 Million to
the MoFLR for an accelerated participatory land rehabilitation
project. Also, high political support as well as a good track record
of successful collaboration with UNDP was noted as some of the
opportunities for a successful SLM programme.
Working closely with NEPAD, UNDP will assist the Ministry of
Forestry to initiate and implement an SLM national level dialogue,
comprising UN Agencies, donors, local and national authorities, the
academia, non governmental and community based organizations to
create partnerships and mobilize for the intended SLM programme.
By Melissa Jakola
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