Lesotho Project

Timeframe

November 2021 to April 2023

Context

Agriculture accounts for the livelihoods of 80% of the country’s population but only six percent of Lesotho’s Gross Domestic Product. Lesotho’s Nationally Determined contributions 2017 commits to reducing emissions by 10% by 2030, or by an additional 25% with external support.

Lesotho’s plan to mitigate and adapt to effects of climate change includes adoption of climate smart agricultural practices for greater food security and higher farmer income. Action on livestock emissions requires that Lesotho uses a more advanced and accurate method to quantify GHG emissions.

  • Lesotho’s previous GHG inventory used the Tier 1 method. No previous work on cattle GHG emissions or the Tier 2 method had been conducted.

  • Support to Lesotho was provided as part of a regional support project in which Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, and Mozambique, with technical support from South Africa, were assisted to compile a Tier 2 inventory for cattle using country-specific information where available and regional information from the other participating countries where necessary. The project was designed and implemented during the pandemic and involved remote technical support with no in-country missions.

  • Tier 2 inventory compilation: A Tier 2 inventory of emissions from cattle was compiled and discussed in a national validation workshop. The inventory was compiled by Lesotho Metrological Service (LMS), which is responsible for GHG inventory compilation, in collaboration with Prof. Philip Makama Dawuda (National University of Lesotho), with support from the Bureau of Statistics (BOS), Department of Livestock Services (DLS), Department of Agricultural Research (DAR), Lesotho National Dairy Board (LNDB) and Lesotho National Farmers’ Union (LENAFU). The Tier 2 inventory is being incorporated in the BTR currently (2025) being produced. Lesotho has also highlighted the need to expand Tier 2 to small ruminants. 

  • Strengthened basis for GHG mitigation policy development: Lesotho’s previous NDC did not include livestock mitigation measures, but livestock were highlighted in the adaptation component. It’s updated NDC (2024) recognizes the synergy between adaptation and mitigation measures in the agriculture sector and explicitly prioritizes reducing emissions from enteric fermentation. The Tier 2 inventory compilation experience likely informed the framing of the mitigation measures, which highlights the importance of data collection to inform mitigation measures on commercial farms.  

Reports

Project Information

Impact

The NZCSA project was implemented as a pilot of regional inventory support for four countries Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho and Mozambique. It was completed on time in April 2023 and all objectives were met.

The CSA Initiative has helped build Lesotho’s capability and capacity to accurately measure and report cattle emissions using the Tier 2 method for the first time. The training means there are now people in the country who can produce these internationally required reports.

Implementation Partners

In-country partners

  • Lesotho Meteorological Services (responsible for the Cattle Inventory development)

  • Ministry of Defence, National Security and Environment

  • Ministry of Energy and Meteorology

    Other contributors to the inventory

  • The Bureau of Statistics

  • Department of Agricultural Research

  • Department of Livestock Services

  • Lesotho Farmers Union and National University of Lesotho
Most cattle in Lesotho are raised by smallholder farmers in an extensive grazing system.

Most cattle in Lesotho are raised by smallholder farmers in an extensive grazing system.