PRIME Minister Dr Moeketsi Majoro has appealed to Basotho to unite and engage in successful fruit farming in order to overcome poverty and hunger.

He said this last week Friday while touring the Maoamafubelu Fruit Farm located in Mahobong, Leribe.
Dr Majoro said apart from the fruit farms built in Mahobong, about 300 000 hectors of land is still available for use, urging Basotho to unite and use the land for fruit farming.
The government, he said will continue to help Basotho in establishing the market in and outside the country.
He applauded the apples produced at the Maoamafubelu Farm, saying they are of better quality than those imported from South Africa.

“The journey of the fruit farm has not been easy at all since it started in 2002 as it was a new thing to be introduced to Basotho,” he also noted.

Sharing similar sentiments, the Minister of Agriculture, Marketing and Food Security Tefo Mapesela commended the community of Mahobong for allowing their land to be used for the fruit farm.

“You should take full responsibility of the project so that by the time World Bank leaves it in your hands, you are fully capacitated to manage it.
“The problem is that most of such projects in Lesotho fall apart after the funders leave them in the hands of the beneficiaries,” he said.