With declining food production due to a number of reasons including low soil fertility, Lesotho is among the countries currently experiencing reasons to reflect on the importance of soil. Historically, the country was known as the ‘granary of southern Africa’ in the 1870s due to high production and export of grains to neighboring states such as the Republic of South Africa. The soil fertility of the country has since declined and this has led to a dramatic decrease of arable land. However, the practice of growing food in backyards is still deep-rooted in Basotho culture. This practice is good for the country, especially for those poor families that cannot afford to purchase store-bought vegetables. As one of the countries that are still heavily dependent on agriculture, soil is an important aspect of Basotho society to the extent that the issue of ownership of land provokes many court battles all over the country. Basotho know the importance of owning soil due to the understanding that the soil feeds them. 

As seasons come and go, one finds that the only constant thing about most Basotho yards is some greens on small, manageable plots outside. While some plant only enough for sustenance, others take it to themselves to plant enough to sell in their communities or in local markets. At the University of Lesotho, a Development Studies lecture Dr. Sets’abi goes out of his way to teach students about the importance of soil and keeping own gardens. He brings some of his own produce to lectures in order to show students the beauty that comes from the ground. His students are always awed at the sizes of the kind of vegetables that he produces from his kind and also at the variation of plants that one can find there. He not only grows vegetables such as pumpkin, spinach, cabbage and beetroot but also grows his own herbs. He always explains to students that taking care of the soil is the first thing that he considers about his garden because he knows he could lose the ability to grow his vegetables if he did not care for the soil structure.

The tradition of growing vegetables in the backyard has evolved as innovative ways have come up amongst those who recognize that there needs to be a change in the way subsistence farming is done in the country. In recognition of drought issues that have exacerbated soil poor soil conditions, people have begun to have inventive ideas such as to plant in car tires and in old bathtubs. Such techniques have proven to be useful and are more manageable and easier to take care of than large gardens. This is due to the fact that the soil remains intact within the tires or bath tubs and when watered, the moisture remains stored for longer periods of time. However, this method of farming is not good for large scale farming as it requires a large number of items to plant in. It is good only in the case of planting enough food for family consumption. It is important because it brings up a challenge for large scale farmers to think outside the box and come up with inventive ways of agricultural production.

In appreciation of the soil and the benefits that we get from it, I believe that the World Soil Day on 5th December should be a special day for all of us. We should always remember to care for soil and work to keeping it as healthy as possible as we have already lost much arable land to bad farming practices globally. Investing in new ways to finding ways to reverse the negative impact that we have caused on our planet is a kind of ‘food for thought’ that I would like to leave you with. Most times, people ask me why it is that I like to think about solutions when I have no way of funding them but I always say that as long as I have the vision, the financial solution will come later. It is far better to plan now and act when the time is right than wait for weeks, months or even years until there is ready funding.