Skip to main content

Lesotho

Remotely monitored country
Lesotho
Lesotho flag
Remote Monitoring Report
February 2024
Near-average harvest expected to improve acute food insecurity by May
  • Despite sufficiently stocked markets, poor households’ access to staples remains constrained due to weak purchasing power and above-average staple prices, which is typical during the peak lean season. Stressed (IPC Phase 2) outcomes among poor and very poor households will likely continue through April. The main harvest is expected to begin in April and be slightly below average due to erratic rainfall in January and February. After harvesting starts, food consumption for most poor households will likely improve due to improved access to their own-produced staples. Consequently, Minimal (IPC Phase 1) outcomes are expected from May until September as households access their food and non-food needs, but Stressed (IPC Phase 2) outcomes are expected to return around September when own-harvested food stocks diminish.
  • Generally, Lesotho has received average rainfall that has supported favorable cropping conditions. The maize crop in most parts of Lesotho is at the reproductive and maturation stages after a near-normal start of the season. However, high temperatures and erratic rainfall in mid-January and February will likely reduce overall harvests to slightly below the five-year average.
  • As is typical during the lean season, most poor households engage in agriculture labor activities to earn income for staple food purchases since they exhausted their produced stocks between September and October last year. Currently, weeding is the most common activity across the country, but in April, poor households will increasingly engage in harvesting. In some parts of the country, agricultural labor has been slightly affected by erratic rainfall. Increased competition for labor opportunities also likely limits income-earning opportunities from agricultural labor. Given reduced income sources, most poor households have limited purchasing power for market food purchases.
Read the full analysis
Latest Analysis Latest Analysis
View All Lesotho Analysis
Food Security
Key Message Update Average rainfall is supporting crop production, but food prices are high Lesotho January 2024
Remote Monitoring Report Good rains support crop production, but food prices remain high Lesotho December 2023
Key Message Update Below-normal rainfall and high agricultural input costs are likely to impact agricultural activity Lesotho November 2023
Agroclimatology
No reports available.
Markets & Trade
Supply and Market Outlook Southern Africa Regional Supply and Market Outlook Southern Africa October 1, 2023
Alerts / Special Reports
Alert Strong El Niño will drive high needs across Southern Africa through early 2025 Southern Africa November 8, 2023
Food Security
Key Message Update Average rainfall is supporting crop production, but food prices are high Lesotho January 2024
Remote Monitoring Report Good rains support crop production, but food prices remain high Lesotho December 2023
Key Message Update Below-normal rainfall and high agricultural input costs are likely to impact agricultural activity Lesotho November 2023
Agroclimatology
No reports available.
Markets & Trade
Supply and Market Outlook Southern Africa Regional Supply and Market Outlook Southern Africa October 1, 2023
Alerts / Special Reports
Alert Strong El Niño will drive high needs across Southern Africa through early 2025 Southern Africa November 8, 2023
Food Security Classification Data View all Lesotho classification data
Lesotho Acute Food Insecurity Classification (February 2024 - September 2024)

Forward-looking analysis representing the most likely food security outcomes for the near term (February 2024 - May 2024) and medium term (June 2024 - September 2024) periods.

Lesotho Acute Food Insecurity Classification Shapefile February 2024 (.zip) (ZIP) Lesotho Acute Food Insecurity Classification February 2024 (.geojson) (GeoJSON) Near Term Projection: February 2024 - May 2024 (.png) (PNG) Medium Term Projection: June 2024 - September 2024 (.png) (PNG) Near Term Projection: February 2024 - May 2024 (.kml) (KML) Medium Term Projection: June 2024 - September 2024 (.kml) (KML)
Lesotho Acute Food Insecurity Classification (January 2024 - May 2024)

Forward-looking analysis representing the most likely food security outcomes for the near term (January 2024) and medium term (February 2024 - May 2024) periods.

Lesotho Acute Food Insecurity Classification Shapefile January 2024 (.zip) (ZIP) Lesotho Acute Food Insecurity Classification January 2024 (.geojson) (GeoJSON) Near Term Projection: January 2024 (.png) (PNG) Medium Term Projection: February 2024 - May 2024 (.png) (PNG) Near Term Projection: January 2024 (.kml) (KML) Medium Term Projection: February 2024 - May 2024 (.kml) (KML)
Lesotho Acute Food Insecurity Classification (December 2023 - May 2024)

Forward-looking analysis representing the most likely food security outcomes for the near term (December 2023 - January 2024) and medium term (February 2024 - May 2024) periods.

Lesotho Acute Food Insecurity Classification Shapefile December 2023 (.zip) (ZIP) Lesotho Acute Food Insecurity Classification December 2023 (.geojson) (GeoJSON) Near Term Projection: December 2023 - January 2024 (.png) (PNG) Medium Term Projection: February 2024 - May 2024 (.png) (PNG) Near Term Projection: December 2023 - January 2024 (.kml) (KML) Medium Term Projection: February 2024 - May 2024 (.kml) (KML)
Seasonal Calendar Seasonal Calendar
Description

The Seasonal Calendar shows the annual and cyclical patterns of key food and income sources in a country throughout the typical year.

Lesotho Seasonal Calendar
Remote Sensing Imagery Remote Sensing Imagery
Description

USGS-provided data and imagery supports FEWS NET's monitoring efforts of weather and climate throughout the world.

View all remote sensing imagery
Get the latest food security updates in your inbox Sign up for emails

The information provided on this Website is not official U.S. Government information and does not represent the views or positions of the U.S. Agency for International Development or the U.S. Government.

Jump back to top