Browsing by Author "Morahanye, Nthona Mary"

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    The role of irrigated horticulture farming in assuring food security and livelihood making among small-scale commercial farmers in Masianokeng Sub-Centres in the Maseru District, Lesotho
    (National University of Lesotho) Morahanye, Nthona Mary; Rantso, Tsepiso
    The purpose of the study was to investigate the role of irrigated horticulture farming in assuring food security and livelihood making among small-scale commercial farmers. Mixed method entailing both qualitative and quantitative approaches was used for data collection in the study. According to the literature of the study, the recurring drought occurrences affect crop yield of the smallholder farmers. It affects the quantity and the quality of crops and in some cases, it leads to total failure of crops. This promotes poverty and food insecurity among smallholder farmers in the country. As an initiative to overcome the impacts of drought, the literature indicates that different measures such as climate smart agriculture practices, National Adaptation Programme and climate change policy and legal framework among others, were introduced by the government of Lesotho. The research findings revealed that irrigated horticulture farming promotes food security and livelihood among smallholder farmers. It caters for all people regardless of their age, gender and educational background. However, the results found that the most dominating group of farmers in this sector, is of less educated people. Irrigated farming enables farmers to diversify crops all year round despite the climate change challenges that they encounter in the farming endeavour. For instance, hail, frost, and pest and disease outbreaks. In order to help the smallholder farmers’ production to prosper, the recommendations have been stipulated to the farmers and the government