Seeds of hope

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The soils in the area are moderately deep to deep and their texture varies from sandy-loam, loam and clay-loam, according to a recent study titled Report of Mapping Gullies in Berea District.

The village is in the Bela-Bela constituency, which has 68 gullies that have eaten up 394.83 hectares out of the total area of 13 915 hectares.

The RSL’s Deputy Commissioner of Intelligence and Case Selection, Bahlakoana Shelile, said last year they decided to celebrate the RSL’s 20 year anniversary by planting 20 000 trees but the question was: would this have a visible impact?

Shelile said the tree plantation initiative and giving back to the nation forms part of the objectives of the RSL and is part of a three-year initiative to reforest Lesotho.

He said what the community of Liphookoaneng witnessed last week was “the first year of the implementation of the initiative and a reminder that the RSL exists to help Basotho and Lesotho”.

“We wish to plant 21 000 trees in 2024, with the hope to increase the number by 1 000 trees each year,” Shelile said.

“The dream is to see Lesotho greener again,” he said.

He thanked ’Mantsopa Rotary Club and the Ministry of Environment and Forestry for the relationship they have.

Mohale Monaheng, the Ministry of Environment and Forestry coordinator in Berea, emphasised the ministry’s commitment to environmental conservation.

“The initiative’s aim is to prevent soil erosion by planting trees across the sloppy land of Liphookoaneng,” Monaheng said.

“We live in a time where global warming challenges are dire, affecting the land, human and animals,” he said.

Monaheng urged the Liphookoaneng people to nurture the planted trees and not let the village’s livestock loose lest they feed on them.

The chief of Boinyatso, Liphookoaneng, Chief Mopeli Hlajoane, said he was lost for words by what the three partners did for his people.

He said Makhetha Motšoari, the Director of Environment at Mantsopa Rotary Club, who grew up in his village, had always wished to do something for his people.

He said they have had meetings with his community to discuss matters of the same nature but nothing was done until the Rotary Club reached out to fulfil their wishes.

Motšoari said what they did was “not just to plant trees but to plant the seed of hope, sustainability and a greener future for the people of Liphookoaneng”.

He said he appreciated the relationship they have with the RSL that resulted in the successful plantation of 5 000 trees.

He said they work with youths from the National University of Lesotho, Centre of Accounting Studies, Botho University, Qiloane Community Association and Footprints.

In 2009, the total area planted in Berea was 25 303 which formed 6.27 percent of the total area planted in the country, with maize being the major crop.

Tree planting supports pollinators that in turn support pollinator-dependent agriculture, providing food for local people.

Bokang Masasa