The Millennium Challenge Account-Lesotho II(MCA Lesotho) last week gave an overview of the progress that the organisation has made towards implementation of the health and horticulture compact which is expected to run for five years.
The Monday event was attended by, among others, the newly appointed US Embassy Charge D’affaires, Thomas Hines, who had paid his inaugural visit to the leadership and staff of the MCA-Lesotho II.
The MCA-Lesotho II is an independent entity responsible for implementing the Lesotho Health and Horticulture Compact funded by Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC). The compact is a$300 million grant from U.S government and M22 million from the government of Lesotho.
Also known as Lesotho Health and Horticulture Compact or ‘Leboela la Seepa Mere’ in Sesotho,the project aims to: improve access to health care, create business development opportunities, increase crop production and increase profit and formal employment while also creating up to 90,000 jobs.
In an interview with theReporter, the deputy chief executive officer of MCA-Lesotho, Limpho Maema, said the main goal of the compact is to reduce poverty through sustainable inclusive economic growth.
“There are three main activities that MCA focuses on, based on research and evidence of how the country is performing from health, economic,inclusion and the business perspective.
“Under health, what we had established was that there was high expenditure. The government was investing the biggest chunk of the budget on health. However, when you look at how we are performing generally in terms of high rate of non-communicable diseases as well as maternal health,we are not doing so well,” Maema said.
For his part, activity manager, irrigation infrastructure development at MCA II, Lovemore Ntuli said the Market Driven Irrigated Horticulture(MDIH) project’s main objective is to establish a sustainable and inclusive model of irrigation, water resources, and land management.
It is also responsible to ensure programming that secures the rights and participation of women, youth and landholders in the scheme area to increase their income and catalyse futureinvestment in MDIH.
“MDIH key achievements include signing two contractors for implementation of the land and horticulture training activities in June and October, 2024. One contract is for supervision of the construction of irrigation dams, training centres and service centre in October, 2024.
“We commenced work for irrigation reforms and establishment of an appropriate institutional structure for the operation, management and maintenance of irrigation infrastructure,” Ntuli said.
He also noted that MDIH planned activities for next year include awarding the design built contract for finalising the design and construction of the irrigation infrastructure.
The project will also focus on engaging an irrigation reforms technical assistance consultant to capacity building activities for institutions responsible for irrigation management.
Furthermore, MDIH plans to collaborate with the ministry of agriculture, food security and nutrition efforts towards the establishment of a law governing irrigation activities in the country, in addition to setting up an irrigation departmentunder the same ministry.
