THE SADC GENDER PROTOCOL SUMMIT 2014 Gender, Climate Change and Post 2015 SADC Agenda PALESA MATSEPE “PREVENTING SOIL EROSION AND PROMOTING CLIMATE SMART AGRICULTURE” 50/50 BY 2015: DEMANDING A STRONG POST 2015 AGENDA

SYNOPSIS Brief description of the good practice and motivation as to why it is a good practice Planting of 14,500 forest trees and 15 hectors of Ts’aane grass in the villages which form the council. These projects were mainly done to prevent soil erosion. Another good practice is the construction of three dams at Ha-Ramokoatsi, Ha-Kouli and Bochabela in an attempt to harvest rain water which could be used for irrigation especially when there is drought.

Continuation: Training of councillors, chiefs and farmers on agriculture that is resilient to climate variations that are seen in most parts of the country. Establishment of two orchards at Ha-Ramohapi and Ha-Lempetje where a total number of 16 thousand peach and grape trees have been planted to provide job opportunities especially for women who form a large number of people employed in the orchards.

OBJECTIVES To prevent soil erosion through planting grass, trees and practicing rotational grazing. To train chiefs, councillors and farmers on modern farming strategies that are resilient to climate, in order to improve agricultural productions. To improve the lives of women and child headed families by employing them in the orchards and to ensure that their families are sustained economically through selling fruits that will be produced from such orchards in a long run. To harvest rain water through building dams in three villages, such water is intended to be used for irrigation on dry seasons. 50/50 BY 2015: DEMANDING A STRONG POST 2015 AGENDA

BACKGROUND Why did the problem come about? What problem or context is it responding to Soil erosion has continuously been a threat to Lesotho and the whole world. This has escalated as a result of severe floods which are caused by climate change. The council therefore felt it is important to take initiatives such as tree planting to prevent soil erosion. Majority of the Basotho nation depend largely on agriculture therefore if soil erosion is not prevented their production on agriculture will deteriorate.

BACKGROUND Furthermore, for the same reason that Basotho highly depend on agriculture for living, the council felt that it is important to sensitise farmers on climate smart farming so that they could adapt to climate variations in their farming. The council realised that one of the reasons why agricultural production has decreased over the years is that people still resort to old ways of farming that are not resillient to climate change. Lastly, the council also realised that there is also a need for economic empowerment particularly for women who are mostly affected due to their ‘gender’ stereotyped roles thus the establishment of two orchards at Ha-Lempetje and Ha- Ramohapi. 50/50 BY 2015: DEMANDING A STRONG POST 2015 AGENDA Why did the activity come about? What problem or context is it responding to

KEY ACTIVITIES Transportation of tree seedlings and grass seeds to different locations in the council. Planting of trees and grass by the community members. Employing people that work in the orchards. Planting peach and grape trees by such people Holding a training in the council premises by the officers from the ministry of agriculture ( training of farmers on climate resilient agriculture. 50/50 BY 2015: DEMANDING A STRONG POST 2015 AGENDA

RESOURCE ALLOCATIONS 50/50 BY 2015: DEMANDING A STRONG POST 2015 AGENDA Amount local currency (specify) Amount in Rand Gender specific allocation Gender in mainstream projects (please specify) Amount contributed in cash or in kind by partner organisations (please specify) M92,000 (Forestry and Land Reclamation) R92,000 TOTAL M92,000 R92,000

BENEFICIARIES 50/50 BY 2015: DEMANDING A STRONG POST 2015 AGENDA CATEGORYWOMENMENTOTAL% WOMEN Direct beneficiaries e.g. number of parliamentarians trained % Indirect beneficiaries (e.g. through other networks) Online beneficiaries (e.g. website access, mailing lists, scholarly articles) Total

CHALLENGES The main challenge was lack of council transport to carry seedlings to different villages but the ministry of Forestry and Land Reclamation assisted with the transport. In some of the villages there was no enough water to irrigate planted trees and water had to be fetched from distant wells, that is why the council made an initiative to build dams in three villages (Ha Koili, Bochabela and Ha-Ramokoatsi to harvest rain water. Another challenge is that, planted tree seedlings were destroyed by herd boys in other villages so the council together with Range management officer sensitised the herd boys in other villages through lipitso and the problem has been solved. One last challenge which remains a problem up to now, is lack of funds to implement the projects on climate change adaptation, however, the gender committee is continuously seeking funds from other NGO’s which deal with the same subject. 50/50 BY 2015: DEMANDING A STRONG POST 2015 AGENDA

MONITORING AND EVALUATION Regular visits on the project sites to see the rate at which progress is made and solve some of the issues that hindered progress. To engage chiefs and the community at large so that they could care of the projects by themselves. 50/50 BY 2015: DEMANDING A STRONG POST 2015 AGENDA

Women Empowerment Women Empowerment: There is a woman named ‘Matlotliso Billet who depends largely on selling vegetables from her garden both for subsistence and for commercial purposes, she confessed that with the knowledge she gained from the trainings her farming is undoubtedly going to improve. She is also hired at Ramohapi orchard.

Men for change Ts’eliso Mothibe is one of the male councillors from Ha- Lempetje where the orchard has been established. He played a very important role when the project started and he is still actively participating to monitor such a project as the implementation is in progress.

Public Participation ‘Malerato Sefuthi, a farmer from Ha-Kouli is now able to fetch water for irrigating her vegetables from a newly build dam.

Capacity Building ‘ Mamotlatsi Billet from Maieaneng village is a small holder farmer who takes care of her household through selling vegetables, she is willing to apply the skills she has acquired from farmers training on climate smart agriculture

Changes in Attitutes After sensitization on gender and climate change, Boomo Letsie an area chief from Haramohapi is now taking strong measures to herdboys who used to destroy planted trees and grass.

Any other change as a result of Gender and climate change work The Ministry of Forestry and Land Reclamation is helping the council a lot with resources to implement projects on climate change. The minisrty has already approved the council’s request of the establishment of two more orchards at Ha-Raliemere and Kopanong.

LESSON LEARNED AND INNOVATION There is a need to provide information through trainings and issuing of pamphlets to the grassroots about climate change and sustainable development. The council gender committee is aware that it should involve other government ministries and NGO’S that already deal with climate change for instance Serumula Development Association. Another lesson learnt is that a majority of villagers, especially women depend largely on crop and vegetable production for subsistence and commercial farming, but they are still not aware of climate change effects on agriculture, therefore the knowledge should be extended to the people in the grassroots. The council gender committee has a role of sharing the climate change council plan to all the stakeholders so that they can facilitate in the implementation of the council planned activities by providing with funds among other things. 50/50 BY 2015: DEMANDING A STRONG POST 2015 AGENDA

LEARNING AND SHARING WITH OTHER COUNCILS The council has met with ‘Mamants’o Community Council and Mafeteng Urban Council to share climate change plans and make a plan on how to help each other during implementation. 50/50 BY 2015: DEMANDING A STRONG POST 2015 AGENDA

SUSTAINABILITY AND REPLICATION The work can be sustained through involving all the stakeholders particularly those in the grass roots level, this will ensure sustainability in the sense that such involved people will continue to take care of the implemented projects. All the implemented projects like trees and grass plantation, building of dams to harvest water as well as training of farmers on climate smart agriculture can be replicated in other organisation because climate variation is a global issue. 50/50 BY 2015: DEMANDING A STRONG POST 2015 AGENDA

KEY PRIORITIES FOR 2014 The council through it’s gender committee will be focusing on implementing the council plan on climate change. 50/50 BY 2015: DEMANDING A STRONG POST 2015 AGENDA