This research paper attempts to investigate the contribution of block
farming to assuring food security in households of block farmers. The study used
both secondary and primary sources of information. The secondary data was collected
from government documents, electronic resources as well as books. The
primary data was obtained from farmers participating in both maize and wheat
block farming in the selected areas. In addition, qualitative information was collected
from government official responsible for block farming project. The results of
the study are analysed qualitatively and quantitatively. The Lesotho government
has implemented different agricultural programmes to increase production in agriculture
since colonialism. Although many colonial rural development strategies in
Lesotho focused more on preventing and controlling soil erosion, there were some
agricultural development projects implemented in some parts of the country. The
agricultural rural development programmes implemented in Lesotho since colonialism
were meant to reduce poverty and improve the living standards of people.
And block farming is one of such agricultural development projects. Block farming is not a new agricultural rural development project in Lesotho. Block farming project
was introduced under Senqu River Valley Integrated Rural Development Project in
the 1970s. The idea was to increase food production among Basotho farmers. This
agricultural initiative was revived in the New Millennium. The government of
Lesotho entered into sharecropping with subsistence farmers through block farming
programme. The purpose of government was to reduce poverty by increasing
agricultural food production in the country.
Subjects: Development Studies; Regional Development; Rural Development
Keywords: Agriculture; block farming; food security; poverty; rural development