The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Mr. Lesole Mokoma officially launched the new Dairy Cow Breeding and Rearing Centre at Ha Not’si in Mafeteng on Monday.

Speaking during the launching ceremony, Mr. Mokoma commended the Australian Government for financing the project with M250, 000 to enhance implementation of dairy project in the districts of Maseru and Mafeteng.

He said over the past 10 years, development cooperation between Australia and Lesotho has totaled to over M24 million, covering programmes as diverse as electoral capacity building, drought assistance, trade related capacity building and recently establish Australian volunteer programme.

Mr. Mokoma thanked the Australian High Commission on behalf of the Rural Self-Help Development Association (RSDA), Lesotho dairy farmers and the government of Lesotho for the generous support meant to eradicate hunger and poverty in Lesotho.

Also speaking at the ceremony, the Golden Valley Agricultural Research Trust (GART) Chairperson, Mr. Namakulo Mukutu based in Zambia said the project is intended to improve food security and the lives of the poor as a whole.

He also commended RSDA for its commitment in helping the needy in rural areas.

The Member of Parliament for Kolo Constituency, Mr. Kananelo Mojaki expressed gratitude over the establishment of the dairy centre, urging Mafeteng farmers to take advantage of the centre and establish dairy projects.

He appealed to them to protect and manage the project accordingly so that its sustainability will benefit the entire Mafeteng community.

Member of the Dairy Farmers Association in Mafeteng, Mr. Sekere Motlaketlake said the dairy project is important in the history of Ha Not’si community as German government used to fund such project in the past years.

He said the centre is for the dairy cows' breeding, rearing centre and production of milk products.

The project will work as a dairy farm and serve as a training centre for farmers and herders to attain skills on dairy farming. It is one aspect of a four-year project aimed at increasing the quality and quantity of milk produced by Lesotho's smallholders dairy farmers.

RSDA was established in 1991 to eradicate hunger and improve the livelihoods of rural Basotho by supporting sustainable agriculture, facilitating self-help and enabling rural communities to become sustainable.

Present at the launching ceremony included the Australian AID Programme Officer, Ms. Anne Cruex, Director of Gart, Dr. Stephen Maliokela, Common Funds for Commodities Projects Supervisor from Canada, Mr. Tudor Price, the Principal Chief of Likhoele, school children and the public.

Source: LENA 14/04/2008