Maseru, July 09 — The Minister of Trade, Industry and Business Development Mr. Motlatsi Maqelepo says the progress achieved through the Regional Value Chains Lesotho Plus (RVCL+) Programme demonstrates government’s commitment to building a resilient, inclusive and competitive economy that creates opportunities for Basotho enterprises.
Speaking through a press statement issued on Thursday, Mr. Maqelepo said that continued collaboration with development partners remains key to addressing barriers to enterprise growth and strengthening Lesotho’s position in regional and international markets.
The minister noted that the RVCL+ Programme has recorded significant achievements in strengthening enterprise competitiveness, creating employment opportunities and expanding market access for Basotho businesses saying the programme is co-financed by the European Union (EU) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented in partnership with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH supports the development of competitive value chains in agro-processing and light manufacturing.
The minister said the initiative has also strengthened market access, enabling 102 companies to participate in eight international trade fairs, with Basotho products reaching markets in Europe, Japan and South Africa. Furthermore, 114 public officials have been trained in trade policy, market intelligence and value chain development to strengthen institutional capacity.
However, he acknowledged that local enterprises continue to face challenges including certification requirements, limited access to finance, production capacity gaps and export logistics saying that the ministry is working closely with implementing agencies, including the Lesotho National Development Corporation (LNDC) and BEDCO to address these constraints adding that the ministry will continue prioritising certification support, enterprise development, market access, capacity building and digital transformation initiatives to enhance productivity, innovation and sustainable business growth.
According to the statement, the programme has created 122 permanent jobs within supported enterprises, while an additional 200 employment opportunities have emerged through the Duck and Geese value chain with more than 100 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) operating in sectors such as natural cosmetics, herbs and spices, essential oils, seed oils and apparel have received technical support to improve production and competitiveness.
The programme has also established five Business Hubs managed by the Basotho Enterprises Development Corporation (BEDCO), providing shared production facilities for enterprises in essential oils, seed oils, herbs and spices, natural cosmetics and apparel.
Additionally, the Apparel Business Hub has become operational with more than 180 machines and nine production lines, carrying the potential to create about 300 jobs.
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