Smallholder farmers whose farms are generally less than 1 ha in size dominate the agricultural production in Lesotho. Agriculture in Lesotho is predominantly traditional, characterised by rain-fed cereal production and extensive animal grazing, with the contribution of the livestock subsector roughly double that of the arable subsector. CSA is critical for food security and development. It is an approach that can help reduce the negative impacts of climate change and can increase the adaptive capacity of farming communities to long-term climatic trends. Key recommendations from this policy brief indicates that the development of the National Climate Change Policy and Sustainable Energy Policy should be prioritized, and a focus on CSA should be included in the policy; a strong emphasis must be placed on building the capacity of extension workers, farmers and other stakeholders
in the use of existing/new/improved CSA technologies and practices; women, who play a key role in the agriculture sector, need to be provided with knowledge and training opportunities and be actively involved in the planning and implementation of CSA; institutional coordination between
private and public agriculture and climate-related institutions at national, regional, and international levels should be a focus point and the impact and success of CSA projects in Lesotho should be closely monitored.
