HIGH LEVEL DIALOGUE COMES TO AN END

 Prime Minister (PM)  Ntsokoane Matekane officially closed deliberations on high level dialogue aimed at ending hunger and deprivation in the Mountain Kingdom.

 In his remarks at the end of the dialogue in Maseru on  Tuesday, the PM said after this forum,  there will be a new policy direction in terms of commercializing  agriculture. “A positive transformation and collaborations must be realized,” he underscored.

He expressed gratitude to the UN delegation for having honored His Majesty’s invitation, and managing to attend a number of agricultural activities marking 200 years celebration and food month.

Similarly, Dr Lefulesele Lebesa, Director  Livestock said commercialization of agriculture, supporting infrastructure and technological advances came out top of agenda at this dialogue.

“We must strategically drive robust plans for innovation and technology, and facilitate implementation to put the country in a competitive  space globally and internationally,” she said.

Furthermore, she explained that barriers should be removed so that the private sector led economy, especially to agriculture, as National Strategic Development Plan  priority is achieved.

Meanwhile, official closure of the dialogue paved for a press conference, where the media quizzed UN delegation with the aim to get deeper understanding and knowledge for disseminating food security messages.

At this conference, the Principal Secretary in the Ministry  of Agriculture, Mr Thabo Moleko said the dialogue has set the tone that planning days are over but the narrative has to change into commercialization in all possible measures. The dialogue theme was ‘The Future of Food Security in Lesotho,’ held  in Maseru on Tuesday.

This dialogue was organized by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition with support of UN agencies while African Union Champion of Nutrition and FAO Goodwill Ambassador, His Majesty King Letsie lll was the host.

In accordance with national slogan ‘Khotso, Pula, Nala,’  August has been marked food month as well as 200 years of style of delivery and celebrations.