LHDA 10-Year Strategy: – Lesotho Times

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Focus on LHWPII: Creating sustainable stakeholder value through protecting and restoring ecosystems

Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP) The life of the reservoir depends on the water resources and services provided by healthy ecosystems supported by sustainable land use practices.

Recognising the interdependence of water availability, ecosystem health and good land practices in the delivery of its mandate, the Lesotho Highlands Development Authority (LHDA) has placed conservation and ecosystem restoration objectives at the heart of its new 10-year strategic plan to usher in a new era of socially and environmentally sustainable development.

This and other strategic objectives are aligned with Lesotho’s strategic priorities, documented in the National Strategic Development Plan II 2023/24 -2027/28 (NSDP II), which emphasizes comprehensive multi-sectoral planning to achieve the international environmental agenda of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The strategy emphasizes an integrated approach to protecting and improving the country’s natural landscape and rural livelihoods while pursuing national development goals.

The goal of ecosystem protection and restoration will be achieved through the development and adoption of multiple actionable guidance documents around the LHWP core environmental issues: Integrated Catchment Management (ICM), Wetland Protection and Restoration, Biodiversity Management, and Climate Change Adaptation.

Expected outcomes include improved ecosystem health and services, enhanced water quantity and quality, reduced sedimentation loads and biodiversity.

Improving ecosystem health

Pasture restoration

Rangelands in Lesotho are experiencing severe degradation due to widespread overgrazing. This is reflected in a decline in above- and below-ground biomass production, soil carbon stocks, soil quality, and water infiltration and retention capacity.

These factors lead to a decline in plant species diversity, vegetation cover, and overall plant productivity, limiting the ability of pastures to support livestock production.

The LHDA through its Integrated Watershed Management initiative is implementing biophysical land restoration activities such as clearing brush and invasive species, reseeding bare areas, constructing litter and stone lines, and remodeling gullies.

Rangelands are also managed through the establishment of reserved grazing areas within the second phase sub-catchments such as Motšeremeli, Likhameng, Makhomalong, Tšilantšo, Libibing, Tsoenene and Matlakeng.

Wetland protection and restoration

Wetlands play a key role in ecosystem services related to water filtration, storage and supply, contributing significantly to water quality and quantity in LHWP.

Therefore, the degraded condition of LHWP wetlands poses a potential threat to these services. Therefore, LHDA has implemented programs focused on restoring the ecological and hydrological functions of wetlands.

Key to the LHDA’s recent efforts is the second phase of a detailed wetland baseline survey study in 2022/23 and the development of a wetland protection and action plan.

The study identified priority wetlands that are critical for water supply in the Polyhali Dam catchment area and recommended necessary conservation and restoration measures for each wetland.

In total, 950 wetlands were found in 13 sub-basins associated with the five main Polihali Dam inflow rivers: Khubelu, Mokhotlong, Moremoholo, Sehonghong and Senqu and their tributaries Bafali, Bafatsana and Lekhalabatesi.

Through these studies, the LHDA found that the largest and therefore most important wetlands of the Polihali Dam are located in the Sehonghong sub-catchment, thus making it a priority for conservation and restoration.

Wetland protection

In addition to existing interventions, the LHDA and the Ministry of Environment are working together to expand the National System of Protected Areas in partnership with key stakeholders including Members of Parliament, the Portfolio Board on Natural Resources, District Administrators, District Chiefs and specific resource user groups such as pastoralists, farmers, grazing and conservation associations and traditional healers.

Plans are moving forward to declare areas rich in flora and fauna, culturally significant sites and critical wetland systems in the Lesotho Highlands as protected areas, complementing the existing Sehrabatbe and Tšehlanyane National Parks and Bokong Nature Reserve. The priority areas were identified and mapped based on the Maloti Drakensberg Transfrontier Conservation Area (MDTFCA) Spatial Assessment Study of Biodiversity Priorities in the Lesotho Highlands and Phases I and II of the LHWP Priority Wetlands Study.

Climate Change Adaptation

Climate-smart agriculture

Against the backdrop of increasingly severe climate change, the Ministry of Agriculture is promoting the transition from traditional agricultural practices to climate-smart agriculture to meet the challenges of food security.

London’s Housing and Urban Development Agency has entered into a partnership with the Ministry to promote sustainable natural resource management and climate-smart practices among farmers and households.

These initiatives include homestead gardens, protected agriculture, conservation agriculture, diversification, improved short-term cultivars, feed production, short-cycle animal production and improved animal breeds.

These initiatives are being implemented through the Agricultural Resource Centre, and Phase II project areas such as Mapholaneng, Phahameng, Thabang and Lehlohla have benefited from increased yields and greater resilience to the impacts of climate change, and supported high market demand for agricultural products during the construction of the Polihali Dam.

Biodiversity Management

Due to the scale of impacts on ecosystems and individual biodiversity, the LHDA has incorporated biodiversity conservation considerations into its strategic planning.

Through its Biodiversity Management Action Plan (BMAP), it focuses on programs targeting declining numbers of threatened species to promote their growth and distribution.

Species of conservation interest for the LHWP include the Maloti minnow, the bearded vulture and the southern bald ibis.

The Polyhali Dam area is home to the largest populations of bearded vultures and bald ibis, some of which may have nests or colonies affected by construction activities or the eventual inundation of the Polyhali Reservoir.

To mitigate the impact on the birds, LHDA conducts a comprehensive baseline survey of the bird’s numbers and distribution, and monitors their nesting sites annually to determine their breeding success and population status.

LHDA also works with local and regional bird conservation groups to implement species recovery programs, such as captive breeding and establishment of feeding grounds for Bearded Vultures, and satellite tracking of Southern Bald Ibis.

In collaboration with bird conservation partner Bird Life South Africa, LHDA is currently actively involved in the Southern African Bird Atlas Project (SABAP), which has achieved a milestone with the completion of two bird atlases in Mokhotlong in 2023 and 2024.

Since SABAP is a voluntary citizen scientist initiative, bird monitoring is very low cost and through bird mapping, developers, consultants, researchers and learners can access the latest LHWP bird species data.

Communities where LHWP dams are located are critical to implementing the environmental and social objectives of the LHWP 10-Year Strategic Plan, and stakeholder engagement is a priority at every step.

Eco-tourism

The engineering marvel of the Lesotho Highlands Dams, coupled with the picturesque scenery of majestic mountains, winding river networks and lush grasslands, make the Lesotho Highlands a tourist destination. Boating, hiking, cultural experiences and visits to the Lesotho Highlands Dams Authority Visitor Center are just some of the activities available for adventure in the mountains.

The new strategy aims to protect and enhance natural habitats that support ecotourism and provide visitors with opportunities to experience Lesotho’s unique biodiversity and scenic beauty.

By implementing the new 10-year strategy, the LHDA reaffirms its commitment to promoting socio-economic development, enhancing ecosystem services, and ensuring the long-term health and resilience of the nation’s ecosystems.