During the severe food crisis of 2002/2003 season in Southern Africa region, Lesotho was one of the affected countries with over 445,000 people having been targeted for food relief assistance. ACT issued an appeal to assist 9,700 most vulnerable people through its member the Christian Council of Lesotho (CCL).

CCL has now informed us that, according to a recent assessment carried out by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP), there still is a considerable number of people who require food assistance during 2003/2004 despite an increase in the amount of food produced. However, the production was 30% less than the average food production required to sustain the whole country. The southern districts of Mafeteng, Mohale‘s hoek, Quthing and Qacha‘s nek had been badly affected by drought, erratic weather and inadequate seeds inputs. Many people in these districts are still without food as food production had not improved from last year.

ACT member the Christian Council of Lesotho is proposing an integrated short term and long term food assistance to the most vulnerable groups (chronically sick and child headed families) in Sekake and Seforong, Qacha‘s nek and Quthing districts respectively in order to save lives of approximately 11,718 people through the provision of relief food assistance. For recovery and long term food security, CCL will provide seeds and tools to the 1,953 targeted families. It has been requested that a balance of un-utilised funds amounting to over $53,000 from the previous appeal AFLS-21 be transferred to this appeal.

Project Completion Date:

31 July 2004

Signed by:

Thor-Arne Prois, ACT Director

For full details of proposals and budgets, please click below to download a PDF file of the entire Appeal.

Lesotho - Food Crisis Mitigation - AFLS31 (file size: 46 Kb)

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