Department of Range Resources Management

14/09/2016

What is the name of this grass (Sesotho name, common name and scientific name)? On the scale of 1 - 10, how much is it preferred by livesock?

31/03/2016

The 17th WaterNet/WARFSA/GWPSA Symposium on Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) in Eastern and Southern Africa welcomes submission of abstracts for original contribution to the field in the following sub-themes:

· Hydrology and Climate Change

· Water and Environment

· Water, Land and Agriculture

· Water and Society

· Sustainable Water Supply and Sanitation

· Water Resources and Infrastructure Management

For detailed descriptions of each sub-theme and the submission criteria, please visit http://www.waternetonline.org/annual-symposium/current-theme ; www.gwpsaf.org

The 17 WaterNet/WARFSA/GWP-SA Symposium will be held in Gaborone, Botswana from 26 – 28 of October 2016 under the theme “Integrated Water Resources Management: Water Security, Sustainability and Development in Southern and Eastern Africa”



Deadline for submission of abstracts 16 May 2016
Notification acceptance of abstracts 15 July 2016
Deadline of submission of full papers 16 September 2016
Deadline for early bird registration 2 September 2016


The Okavango Research Institute (ORI), University of Botswana is the lead host of the 17th Symposium. This year WaterNet, WARFSA and GWPSA welcome the International Association of Hydrological Sciences (IAHS) as a co-convenor of the symposia.

Following 16 successful conferences which have all been held on both the mainland and the island state of Mauritius in Southern Africa, the 17th WaterNet/WRFSA/GWPSA Symposium will be held in Gaborone, Botswana at the Gaborone International Convention Centre. The theme for this year is Integrated W…

22/03/2016

22nd March is marked as World Water Day. The theme for 2016 is "Water and Jobs". Almost half of the world's workers - 1.5billion people- work in water related sector and nearly all jobs rely on water.

28/01/2016

This year's theme for World Wetland's Day is "Wetlands for Our Future: Sustainable Livelihoods."
Lesotho's wetlands play a great role in the economy of this country. Among other functions, they are the headwaters of the major rivers in the country.
What are other services or functions of the wetlands that you know that contribute to the livelihoods of Basotho?

25/11/2015

Lets share the message...

Almost a billion households in Asia, Africa and the Americas depend on rice growing and processing to make a living. 80% of the world's rice is produced by small scale farmers. Healthy wetlands are vital to continue to sustain these livelihoods. SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS is the theme for in 2016 to draw attention to the role of wetlands for people and livelihoods, today and in the future. Visit www.worldwetlandsday.org to download posters, logos and handouts and then tell a friend or your community.

13/11/2015

Degraded rangelands put a serious pressure on our wetlands as livestock is relying on them (wetlands) for grazing. As the wetlands are being heavily grazed, they lose their hydrological functions.
One cannot really imagine what's going to happen in years to come - serious water crisis.

09/12/2014

Department has successfully completed National Range Resources Management Policy and it is now a working document. The policy focus on Five Key Policy Areas, namely:
1. Sustainable Management of Range Resources
2. Conservation of Biodiversity and Maintenance of Ecosystem
3. Rangelands Monitoring and Research
4. Maintenance and Protection of Wetlands Areas, and
5. Socio-economic dimensions.

23/01/2014

2nd February is the world wetlands day. The theme of this year is: wetlands and agriculture: partners for growth. As part of celebrating, department z carrying out awareness campaigns.
Today representative from department will at Tsenolo FM at 18:00 - 20:00, discussing wetlands issues. Again tomorrow morning at 05:00 on Radio Lesotho d same issues will be discussed.

12/06/2013

Fire is one of the serious threat to our rangelands and wetlands. It is a major cause for land degradation in Lesotho. Every year after winter Lesotho's rangelands are engulfed by un-prescribed fires. The Department of Range Resources Management has been trying to reduce the incidence of fire around the country through country-wide campaigns, workshops for different stakeholders like herders, local authorities e.t.c. However, large hectares of rangelands are still being burnt for different reasons.

What strategies can be used in order to tackle this serious issue that is facing our rangelands and wetlands?

04/06/2013

Factors that threaten viability of sustainable management of range resources in Lesotho include:

-Human and livestock population pressure that accelerate environmental degradation, the main consequences of which are soil loss and reduced bio-diversity

-Weak or absent economic and social infrastructure and services

-Lack of technological packages to support livestock production

-Mismanagement practices

• Overstocking
• Deforestation

- Cultivation of land not suited for arable farming

-Loss of grazing land to activities like crop cultivation

-Repeated drought seasons and inadequate early warning systems

- Bush encroachment by invasive plant species

-Inadequate animal health services and supply of veterinary drugs

-Poorly developed livestock and livestock products market, communication networks

-Tribal and/or ethnic conflicts for rangeland resources

22/01/2013

The rangelands of Lesotho are home to many important plant species which contribute greatly to daily sustenance of local communities. These plants, which are diverse in nature, are primarily sources of fodder, fuel wood, resins, traditional medicines, etc., and in some cases, contribute significantly to food security in terms of wild food in marginal areas. Rangelands vary from place to place and from year to year, therefore, herds are mobile to take advantage of this variability.

Farmers in Lesotho depend on their animals for milk, meat and exchanging livestock or their products for grains and other goods and services. Rangelands in Lesotho cover a little more than half of the land mass of the country (~60%) and support a good fraction of the country’s human population and a large number of livestock. Thus, the Department of Range Resources Management is mandated to properly manage utilization of the country’s range resources in order to optimize benefits to the farming community and the country at large.

21/01/2013

Range Management officers conducting vegetation assessment