00:00It was once just a humble family staple, but today it's become the symbol of national transformation.
00:08Lesotho has chosen the potato as its priority crop under the One Country, One Priority Product initiative at the UN,
00:15a bold move towards food security, resilience and agricultural growth.
00:19What motivated Lesotho to engage and participate in the program is that we had already, for a number of years, researched.
00:32And through that research, we realized that there is a product that we can grow in Lesotho that can contribute to agricultural growth and agricultural transformation.
00:51And that product is the potato.
00:54In Lesotho's resilient mountain regions home to many vulnerable communities, potatoes thrive.
01:00In 2023, 27-year-old Maluta Mahau began farming potatoes in the remote town of Samongkong.
01:09Farming is important for young people because it allows us to create our own jobs, earn an income to support ourselves and feed our families.
01:18Lesotho's high-altitude climate boost potato yields now up 20% in some areas.
01:24The goal is not just food security, but reducing Lesotho's reliance on other countries.
01:30Currently, we produce about 9,000 tonnes of potatoes each year, but within the next two years, we aim to increase production to 24,000 tonnes.
01:44This will greatly help us reduce our reliance on importing food products and seeds from neighbouring countries.
01:50In this way, potato farming can help bring back our people who left the country.
01:55Through the programme, potatoes are empowering local markets, driving income, empowering women and uplifting rural youth.
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