Leribe, May 04 — In sensitization of Minimum Expenditure Basket ( MEB) Disaster Management Authority (DMA) is holding Minimum Expenditure Basket (MEB) Validation meeting for District Disaster Management Team (DDMT) at District Administrators premises Hlotse in Leribe on Monday.
Addressing the team, District Disaster Manager Ms. Khopotso Rakolobe said the purpose of the meeting is to validate MEB in relation to Leribe district only.
She clarified that each district validates its own Minimum Expenditure Basket as the needs differ.
In addition, she said the information to be validated will also be used to inform the partners and government on the living status of the communities so it can be used in future for assistance.
Speaking at the same meeting, Disaster Manager Mrs. ‘Mamolapo Lehata said MEB consists of essential needs only per group of people not considering luxury needs.
Mrs. Lehata said for 2026, they will use data gathered during Lesotho Vulnerability Assessment (VA) for validation of MEB.
” MEB was conducted only in villages within Hlotse Urban Council,” she stated.
Referring to Leribe, she said MEB was conducted at Khanyane and Ts’ifalimali within Hlotse Urban Council and it is going to be used during disasters as a form of intervention.
Talking about the objectives of vulnerability assessment, Lehata said it is to analyse food and nutrition security and vulnerability of the population of Lesotho in 2025/ 2026 consumption year and provide policy makers, government and other stakeholders with information for decision making and development programming.
In conclusion, she said Total Urban Food Insecure Population stipulates that the total population of the district is 54244 while food Insecure for the district is 27 percent.
Echoing the same sentiments, Disaster Manager Mr. Keketsi Mare said MEB resulted from the Urban Preparedness Project which has been piloted in Leribe district.
He said the changes which have been identified in the data together with DDMT will be incorporated.
The DDMT contributed to MEB by giving out accurate prices of items per individual and per household in usage per month.
The members who attended the meeting were from World Vision Lesotho, Lesotho Red Cross Society, Food and Nutrition Coordinating Office (FNCO), Department of Social Development, Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS) and District Council Secretary.
Ends/KC/tl
