Assessing the Viability of a Wool and Mohair Test Facility in Lesotho

Overview

In 2020, the European Union (EU) Delegation to Lesotho received a request from the Government of Lesotho to support a feasibility study to better understand if, and under what circumstances, an internationally certified testing laboratory for wool and mohair in Lesotho would help change the current status quo.

Following consultations with stakeholders, the study was finalised and presented, in February 2021, to the Government of Lesotho, private sector, academia and international partners.

The study provides an overview of the technical requirements for establishing a testing laboratory, gaining accreditation, and operating the laboratory sustainably in Lesotho under international standards. It also provides a costing of the laboratory and an estimated timeframe for its establishment.

The study provides an overview of the technical requirements for establishing a testing laboratory, gaining accreditation, and operating the laboratory sustainably in Lesotho under international standards. It also provides a costing of the laboratory and an estimated timeframe for its establishment.

At the same time, the study provides an overview of the political economy of the wool and mohair value chains. The study has revealed that establishing a testing laboratory is not a panacea and, alone, will not be enough to strengthen the domestic value chains. Without a solid policy and execution strategy, and greater buy-in from the local wool and mohair private sector, it is very unlikely a testing laboratory could be sustained or even created.

For these reasons, the study presents the Government of Lesotho with different alternative options to a fully-fledged laboratory and gradual steps that can be pursued in parallel.

These entry points include, for instance, digitising production and classing records, or investing in the creation of a local cadre of technicians, supervisors, and classers. The development of a unified auction system and wool handling logistics, would also go some way towards building confidence that Lesotho could undertake local marketing successfully.

Recommendations from the study

As a first step, the study recommends that the Government of Lesotho establish a dialogue with the wool and mohair industry in order to develop an overarching policy with a realistic timeline and the necessary buy-in from all stakeholders. The study recommends that an internationally certified laboratory should not be pursued until the wool and mohair industry and the Government can agree on a transformation strategy.

At the same time, when the conditions are ripe for the establishment of a testing laboratory, the study also recommends that it function as a non-profit making business entity, rather than a state or para-statal entity, with a board consisting primarily of representatives along the domestic wool and mohair value chain, and work in service, objectively, for the whole domestic industry.

In addition, on a purely logistical level, the Government of Lesotho, in cooperation with the local wool and mohair industry, needs to look into developing a cadre of certified sampling supervisors to make sure any grab, hand or cored sample taken at local brokerage firms is ‘certified’. This measure can help enhance the bargaining power of Basotho actors in the value chain.

At the same time, it is also crucial for Lesotho farmers to make an effort to meet the Responsible Wool Standards and Responsible Mohair Standards (RWS/RMS) certification standards. The premiums currently being offered to RWS certified wool could be reason enough for Basotho stock-owners to become pro-active in moving forward in attaining certification in the next few years. It is pretty much assured that RWS/RMS (or similar standards) certification will become an ordinary barrier to entry into the market and not a voluntary activity within the next decade or so.

Finally, the study looked into the existing unused testing equipment domiciled at the Livestock Products Marketing Services (LPMS) dry port facility in the Station Area of Maseru, and recommended the Government of Lesotho hands this equipment to the National University of Lesotho (NUL) – Animal Science Department – for educational and research purposes.