Lesotho country strategic plan (2019 – 2024)

CSP approved at EB.A/2019

Revision 01 approved by the CD in July 2020.

Revision 02 approved by the CD in February 2021.

Revision 03 approved by the CD in January 2022.

Revision 04 approved by the EB in December 2022.

The Government of Lesotho has affirmed its commitment to attaining Sustainable Development Goal 2, but challenges remain. As identified in the national zero hunger strategic review, these include limited job opportunities, particularly for women and young people; poor performance of the agriculture sector; high burden of malnutrition in all its forms; gender inequalities; the impact of HIV and AIDS; and concerns regarding accountability, coordination and coherence coupled with a negative political environment that hampers the operation of government institutions. The country also faces climate-related risks – erratic rainfall, droughts, changes in weather patterns and soil erosion – with adverse impacts on food security.

This country strategic plan guides WFP’s engagement in Lesotho from 2019 to 2024 in support of the Government’s work towards the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 2.  The following strategic outcomes will be pursued:

1. Shock-affected people in Lesotho are able to meet their basic food and nutrition needs during times of crisis.

2. Vulnerable populations in Lesotho benefit from strengthened social protection systems that ensure access to adequate, safe and nutritious food all year.

3. Vulnerable populations in Lesotho have improved nutrition status at each stage of the lifecycle by 2024, in line with national targets.

4. Communities in targeted areas, especially women and young people, have resilient, efficient and inclusive food systems by 2024.

WFP will shift from direct implementation of programmes towards strengthening of national capacities and ownership in support of a gradual transition towards handover of WFP-supported programmes to the Government. Over the next five years, WFP’s programmes will be integrated in order to broaden the focus on building sustainable food systems, using livelihood and asset creation activities as platforms for building the resilience of communities and households, especially to climate change. WFP will provide support to traders and retailers in enhancing efficiencies in supply chains that improve the affordability and quality of food in the country and support social protection systems, particularly school feeding and public work programmes. WFP will integrate gender-transformative approaches, nutrition improvement and consideration of people living with HIV or disabilities into all of its programmes. 

This country strategic plan is aligned with Lesotho’s Vision 2020 and national strategic development plan for 2019–2023 and with the United Nations development assistance framework for  2019–2023. WFP’s main partners are the Government, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, United Nations Population Fund, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the United Nations Development Programme, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS and non-governmental organizations. WFP will collaborate with the private sector in pursuit of the objectives of the country strategic plan.