Lesotho poultry farmers face crisis after US$31.4M US-funded project ends abruptly
Thousands of small-scale farmers are left uncertain about the future of their businesses
LESOTHO – Thousands of poultry farmers in Lesotho are struggling following the unexpected cancellation of a US$31.4 million project funded by the United States, which aimed to revitalize the country’s poultry sector.
The programme, called the Sustainable Transformation of Enterprises in the Poultry Sector (STEPS), was launched in 2023 as part of the American Food for Progress initiative, intending to reduce Lesotho’s reliance on imported poultry products.
STEPS was planned as a five-year effort to assist more than 28,000 poultry businesses across seven districts, including Botha Bothe, Leribe, Berea, Maseru, Mafeteng, Mohale’s Hoek, and Quthing.
The project had targeted a 40% rise in local chicken meat production and a 30% increase in egg output, aiming to improve food self-reliance and create employment opportunities in rural areas.
However, the programme was discontinued abruptly just two years into implementation, leaving many farmers without support or clear guidance on how to proceed.
Local organisations involved in the project have expressed serious concerns over the termination, warning of its negative impact on food security and the rural economy.
The Rural Self-Help Development Association, which partnered with STEPS, highlighted that many farmers invested heavily based on the project’s promises and now face significant financial challenges.
Lesotho has long depended on South Africa for over 80% of its poultry consumption, and STEPS was designed to reverse this dependency by providing farmers with modern farming knowledge, quality feed, and business skills.
Some farmers had already reported improvements in productivity and market access, but the sudden end threatens to undo the progress made so far.
A meeting with representatives of the affected farmers is planned soon to discuss alternative ways to keep poultry farming viable without relying on international funding.
The future remains uncertain, as the country grapples with the loss of a major support system that many depended on for their livelihoods.
Analysts link the cancellation to broader reductions in US foreign aid initiated during former President Donald Trump’s administration, which affected several key programmes like USAID, PEPFAR, and the Millennium Challenge Corporation.
The termination of STEPS has sparked debate within Lesotho about the risks of relying heavily on external donors and the importance of developing local, sustainable agricultural solutions.
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