In the southwestern outskirts of Berea, lies a small village of Ha Makebe embedded in the hillocks creating a basin of engulfment away from the hustle and bustle of town-life in the capital Maseru further southerly, and the district’s CBD TY just less than 20km up north. It is in this locale where ‘Mantsoaki Ntlatlapo a resilient 70-year-old farmer is in a wave by local women in the reincarnation of asparagus farming, supported by the Department of Research in the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition.
The Department recognizes asparagus as a high-value crop that can contribute significantly to food security and economic stability, a feat which has greatly captured the interest of Ntlatlapo and the other seven women in the area.
“There is nothing that can quite surpass the knowledge that what you do carries both health and financial emoluments, especially as an elderly person,” Ntlatlapo says as she reminisces on why she got involved in the initiative in the first place.
“I remember attending a community public gathering in the village, which was actually the third, having missed out on the first two, where officers of the government encouraged residents to participate in a research initiative for the growing of asparagus as a possible way out of poverty and disease plaguing us.
“I was one of the close to 20 who never looked back as we jumped-in hoping to make something of our lives here in the valley. However, the number has since diminished to no more than eight of us who are still hopeful and still pushing, and I pray that God keeps me long enough to see the fruits of our toil,” she says demurely.
Dr. Bataung Kuenene, Chief Research Officer at the the Department of Agricultural Research
The initiative, a brainchild of the Department of Agricultural Research and spearheaded by the Crop Division’s Chief Researcher Dr Bataung Kuenene, is geared towards maximising the benefits that come with the growing of asparagus for high end markets.
It is part of the Agricultural Productivity Programme for Southern Africa (APPSA), which is a regional project supported by the World Bank. The project originally started with three countries (Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia), and has now extended to Lesotho and Angola. The first phase of three countries was launched in 2013 and officially closed in January 2020. Angola and Lesotho joined the APPSA Project in 2019 and are expected to implement the project until 2025.
According to Dr Kuenene, Production of Asparagus for High-end Market is a sub-project to reinvigorate production of the crop “…because we are aware that asparagus production has in the past had immense benefits to the country as a high value crop that can easily curb unemployment and aid in economic empowerment especially having noted that government has shown immense interest towards prioritisation of agricultural production.
“Asparagus is one of the valuable crops that can create employment for the youth and women because of its market value. It is also a climate smart crop, hence if we invest much on asparagus, we can be able to withstand the harsh impacts of draught. It is being piloted here where there are sandier soils as well as in the foothills where there are clay soil conditions, and somehow it seems that it is doing better here than in the foothills although we still continue to learn in order to eventually reach a conclusive finding to know where to focus our efforts as a country in asparagus growing,” Dr Kuenene says, adding that the goal is to exceed whatever the country was able to achieve in the past from asparagus exports.
Asparagus, a highly esteemed vegetable known for its health benefits, has a rich but underutilized history in Lesotho. Traditionally, the crop was grown mostly for exports through the now defunct Basotho Canners, but with shifting agricultural priorities and the introduction of more lucrative cash crops, asparagus farming dwindled.
However, in recent years, the government, realizing the health benefits and potential economic viability of asparagus, has pushed for research and initiatives to reinvigorate its production.
Traditional crops like maize and sorghum have dominated the agricultural scene, although with changing economic landscapes and the increased need for food diversification, government has introduced initiatives aimed at encouraging asparagus farming. The success of these projects hinges on community engagement, training, and the empowerment of local farmers like Ntlatlapo, who serve as pioneers in this new agricultural frontier.
Asparagus is renowned for its nutritional value, being rich in vitamins A, C, E, K, and B6, as well as folate, iron, and fiber. Therefore its incorporation into the diet promotes digestive health anti-inflammatory properties, heart health and weight management among others.
With the global demand for asparagus rising, its cultivation could open new economic avenues for farmers in Lesotho as a result of its higher market value since it often fetches a premium price, especially in urban markets and international exports. It also has potential for massive job creation because of its prolific value chain system and can turn out to be an option of choice for many smallholder farmers, thus reducing economic risks associated with monoculture farming.
Ntsoaki Moeketsi, Research Officer at the the Department of Agricultural Research
Meanwhile, providing insight into the process and procedures in asparagus planting, Ntsoaki Moeketsi from the department’s Hoticulture division, says they employed two methods in growing the crop which are using the crown and planting the seedlings, both of which require digging of 30 cm deep trenches, placing the plant and then covering them with mounts of earth followed by intense watering to keep the crop alive.
“However in this case, we did not have to do a lot of watering as we planted the current crop in the Spring of last year around September, thus taking advantage of the rainy season,” Moeketsi says, adding that regular weeding and watering are essential to maintain the all-important moisture for the crop to reach maturity and harvesting time.
“We harvest the spears, but in the first year we don’t as we let it sprout and grow into the broom-like fans. Then in the second year we can start harvesting some 80% of the total yield for the market. During winter the crop appears withered from above yet the roots continue spreading underground to bear new spears for the subsequent harvest which can go on for a continuous period of four months each year,” she says.
Once planted, the asparagus crop remains alive and bearing an annual harvest for no less than 20 years. The crop has far-reaching roots of sustainability in the country as it used to sustain whole livelihoods, an aversion attested to by Makhopolo Ngatoane from Ha Ngoatonyane in the Mazenod area in the southern outskirts of Maseru, who says that her parents saw her and her siblings through schooling in the late 1980s through asparagus harvesting.
“My parents had a field which was dedicated to asparagus farming and proceeds thereof used to be our source of living. I remember how harvesting it used to be really strenuous and seemingly unending, with equally copious fiscal emoluments seeing us all through high school with my sister and three brothers” she recalls, adding how proud they used to be seeing the packaged product knowing it came from their backyards.
“APPSA has helped us a great deal because some of these research initiatives we could not afford, but now we are hopeful to go back to the days of the 80s and early 90s when Basotho Canners was a force to reckon with in the export of asparagus and beans and making a significant impact in the GDP,” says Moeketsi.
The potential for asparagus farming to improve nutritional health and economic well-being in Lesotho is enormous, and with the government’s backing and the expertise of seasoned farmers like Ntlatlapo, the future of asparagus farming looks promising.
Being a long-time resident, and no stranger to affluence farming herself having in the past ventured into poultry and dairy farming on a large scale, Ntlatlapo has continually dedicated her life to farming, cultivating various crops to support her family even way after the loss of her husband. Despite the challenges presented by modern agricultural demands and climatic uncertainties, her passion for farming remains unwavering. Through her resilience, she embodies the spirit of Lesotho’s rural farmers, navigating the complexities of a changing agricultural landscape.
Asparagus for the Future, Reviving a High-Value Crop in Lesotho
In the tranquil village of Ha Makebe, on the outskirts of Berea, an inspiring agricultural revolution is taking place. Led by ‘Mantsoaki Ntlatlapo, a resilient 70-year-old farmer, a group of women is breathing new life into asparagus farming, a crop once at the pinnacle of Lesotho’s agricultural exports. Supported by the Department of Agricultural Research under the Agricultural Productivity Programme for Southern Africa (APPSA) and funded by the World Bank, this initiative aims to promote food security, economic empowerment, and climate-smart farming practices.
