FAO Digital Media Hub - LESOTHO 2025. Potato priority: the initiative transforming a nation’s vision and women’s livelihoods

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LESOTHO 2025. Potato priority: the initiative transforming a nation’s vision and women’s livelihoods

26 May 2025, Semonkong, Lesotho. View of Semonkong mountain range, Semonkong, meaning Place of Smoke in Sesotho, is a remote, mountainous town located in the Maseru District of central Lesotho.

05/26/2025

Country or Territory Lesotho

Project ID Editorial use only. Photo credit must be given. For further information contact: Photo-Library@fao.org

UNFAO Source FAO Photo Library

File size 10.23 MB

Unique ID UF21C4X

Editorial use only. Photo credit must be given. For further information contact: Photo-Library@fao.org

Background Information Lesotho’s high-altitude climate offers ideal conditions for potato farming, and the crop is central to the country’s strategy for food security and economic resilience. But turning potential into reality requires investment, markets and innovation. “Farmers need to know their produce will sell and generate income to reinvest in farming,” King Letsie III. Lesotho chose the potato as its priority product and joined FAO’s One Country One Priority Product (OCOP) initiative in 2022.The initiative works by helping countries focus on one strategic crop and strengthen its full value chain — from seeds to sales. For Lesotho, the potato is no longer just a staple. It’s a catalyst — for women’s empowerment, youth employment and a more resilient rural future.