MASERU, Lesotho — You fit believe say potato go fit change life? E be like say for this hilly land of Lesotho, potato don dey shine like star. Dis humble tuber wey we dey chop for jollof and efo riro don change from just food for house to big business for farmers. Na Mabitsoane Diholo, dis 53-year-old mama wey get seven pikin, go fit tell you wetin potato fit do. “Dis potato don build my house. E don send my pikin school,” she gree dey talk.
No be joke, as this potato wey been dey grow just for house don start dey represent national transformation. As Lesotho pick potato as their priority crop and join FAO’s One Country One Priority Product (OCOP) initiative for 2022, na im make sense full ground. Mabitsoane no dey only farm, she dey mentor others and run roadside eatery, show say women fit dey power!
Before, she dey sell leftovers by road, but with support from FAO, she dey sell fresh and fine potatoes for Maluti Fresh Produce Market for Maseru. Thabo Khalema, wey be manager for the market, don talk say this market dey change the game for farmers. “E dey give dem path to commercial farming, with better price and transparency.” Na so dem dey turn producers to entrepreneurs oo!
Mabitsoane dey collect pay twice every week, and e don change their lives like magic. “Before, we dey carry potatoes go roadside and some people go sharp our money. Now, dem dey come back to buy, because dem sabi say my potatoes dey legit.”
Na im Nthimo Mokitinyane wey be FAO’s OCOP Focal Point for Lesotho come explain say potato don dey popular for this area, but coordination na wetin dey miss. “Now with better seeds and market access, farmers don dey move from dey chop for house to dey make business sense,” he talk. Productivity don increase reach 20% for beta areas! Farmer dem dey follow data now, e no be guesswork again.
The King of Lesotho, Letsie III, wey dey support nutrition and empowerment, don talk say potato fit help rural women and give young people chance to thrive. E no dey lie. Over 60% of the farmers wey OCOP dey support na women. Mabitsoane dey tell say, “I’m working for my fellow women. This project dey give us power.”
Young female farmer, Maleuta Mahao, wey don start farming just two years ago, don experience changes wey dey blow her mind. “I bin think say farming na just to dey dig ground, but now I sabi say e be about business, profit and feeding our people.” She start with 25 kg of seeds, now she dey harvest over 300 kg of potato! “I go inspire others, start small, work hard!”
Dis new mindset na wetin OCOP dey bring. King Letsie III don talk say if dem unlock the commercial potential of potato, e fit empower rural women and attract young people. Lesotho’s climate dey perfect for potato farming, but investment and new ideas dey key. King Letsie III sabi wetin e dey talk: “Farmers must know say their produce go sell and bring money.”
Project Coordinator of Potato Lesotho Association, Kutloelo Kothoelo Molapo, don talk say OCOP dey switch how farmers dey operate. “Before, dem dey just dey grow for house. Now dem dey think contracts, quality standards, and wahala for profit margins.” Supply and quality don improve, as buyers dey expect clean potatoes wey no dey rot. Farmers don dey deliver better products now!
Minister of Agriculture, Thabo Mofosi, don clear say OCOP na game-changer. “We dey build local capacity to produce more, no be just food security but economic transformation too.” Dis project dey support everything — from production to markets, and e dey show say jobs, income and dignity dey possible.
As Maleuta dey plan to farm for the whole country, Mabitsoane dey proud as her daughter dey follow her footsteps go university. “She wants to be like me, a businesswoman!” she talk with pride. Dis transformation wey OCOP dey bring no be small thing — e dey change lives from just surviving to thriving!
Every 16 October, World Food Day, na chance to celebrate food heroes wey dey change the game. From farmers to innovators, we all fit be food heroes. Respect food, reduce waste. Na wetin go make our future better.
Do you have a news tip for NNN? Please email us at editor@nnn.ng
