aistand south~ern afrkca - (PDF, 101 mb) - USAID

established with the following objectives in
mind:
° To provide animal health services in the area
served by the LIC. These services included
disease control and treatment ofsick animals.
* To provide animal production services
especially in areas of improvement and
management. It is therefore a nucleus of
extension services in the neighbourhood,
" To provide breeding stock to farmers.
Within each LIC there are about four' to five
dip tanks and each tank serves a dip tank area
and has a staff complement of one livestock
attendant for one or two tanks. The history of dip
tanks dates back to 1925 when the first 200 tanks
were built in the aftermath of the historic
outbreak of sheep scab (Moshoeshoe, personal
communication, 1992). There are now 226 dip
tanks across Lesotho. While their main purpose
remans the control of sheep scab, the tanks are
used for the control of external parasites in
general.
Availability of inputs
Vaccinations end dosing are not mandatory, but
farmers are advised o vaccinate their small
stcw.k against common diseases such as blue
tongue, pulpy -idney and black quarter at least
once a year. Acording to Hunter (1987), only
6.4% of sheep farmers and 7.1% of goat farmers
vaccinated their animals against these diseases
in 1985/86.
Farmers are also advised to deworm their
small stock at least four times a year and more
frequently during the wet season to control
internal parasites. Hunter (1987) reported that
only 18% of small stock farmers dosed their
animals in 1985/86. Drugs were normally
available at LICs and private stores licensed to
deal in veterinary drugs and animal feeds,
Market outlets
There are presently two officially recognised
wool and mohair marketing chamels in Lesotho.
Farmers can either sell their wool and mohair at
private trading stations authorised to deal in
wool and mohair or at government shearing
sheds placed at 96 locations across the country.
Normally farmers using government sheds are
members of Wool and Mohair Growers
Associations (WMGAs) and their marketing
groups are individuals (MGs), while not affiliated
those using trading stations
to
not
any
uncommon,
group.
however, to find members
It is
of
WMGA and MGs u3ing privwte trading stations
for fast payment.
The WMGAs sell their wool through the
South African Wool Board (SAWB) and their
mohair through the South Afritan Mohair Board
(SAMB).
Table 4 has data on members of wool and
mohair growers associations, total number of
animals shorn, total weight and total value of
woo!and mohair from the respective associations
and their marketing groups for the 1990/91 wool
season and 1991 mohair season. The data shows
that both the associations and groups are of
value ofwool farexceeds
that of mohair.
It has not been possible to obtain figures for
private traders. Again it was not immediately
possible to figure out how much wool or mohair
was smuggled uut during the same period, but
Hunter (1987) suggested that about 5% wool and
15-20% mohair was smuggled out of the country
each year. Smuggling therefore constitutes an
informal channel of marketing.
Credit to the farmer
The Lesotho Agricultural Development Bank
was established in early 1976 for the sole
purpose of extending credit to both livestock and
crop farmers. Every farmer had access to credit
at this bank and from its branches situated at
major population centres. Before a loan could be
secured a farmer had to satisfy certain requirements,
among which was that of attending
training courses in the field of interest. A
recommendation from the extension agent, a
percentage deposit and a declaration of security
were also required. The loan had a percentage
interest and deposits and interests depended on
Table 4. Quantities of wool a-dmohair shorn and marketed through farmers' assodation and groups
1990/91, saasoi.
Members
Sheep shorn
Total mass (kg)
Total value Rar.d/Malut
No. of members
No. of goats shorn
Total mass (kg)
Total value lvalutlRand
Wool Growers Assoclatlon
4,632
291,853
833,784
4,864,573
Mohair Growers Assoclatlon
1,745
58,334
833,784
460.883
215
Marketing group
8,746
223,580
508,540
3277,189
Marketing group
4,854
117,8.31
508,540
510,554