Restoring land and water, together

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How is ReNOKA doing things differently?

Lesotho contributes over 40% of the total volume of the Orange-Senqu River Basin from a land base of just 3%.

A new way of thinking

Our lives depend on climate resilience. How do we protect and restore the health of our river catchments? We’ve developed innovative tools.

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Rotational grazing, building terraces and removing invasive species have improved people’s lives

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How do we build a new generation of experts?

Read about ReNOKA’s approach to training

Who is already involved?

Lesotho Government
Southern African Development Community
European Union
German Cooperation - Deutsche Zusammenarbeit
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit

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Lesotho’s river catchments are vital for livelihoods, the economy and environment

Lesotho is considered the water tower of Southern Africa.

It supplies more than 40 percent of the annual run-off of the Orange-Senqu river despite occupying only three percent of the basin’s territory.

Lesotho provides water for agriculture, industry and households across the basin area, which includes the Gauteng province in South Africa, one of Africa’s most important economic centres. Domestically, water ecosystems in Lesotho are directly responsible for 22% of GDP and 30% of employment.

ReNOKA - Restoring land and water, together

Explore an interactive map of the Orange-Senqu basin

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However, Lesotho’s river catchments (the land where water collects when it rains) are facing severe land degradation.

This is a threat to water security for Lesotho and the broader Orange-Senqu basin where 15 million people depend on the water. While in Lesotho, the livelihoods of the rural population also depend on healthy catchments. Healthy land and wetland ecosystems are required to absorb rainfall and release water gradually into rivers and streams. Degraded catchments, in turn, worsen flood and drought events, soil erosion and siltation.

To combat these challenges, the Kingdom of Lesotho has embarked on a national movement dedicated to protecting and restoring the land and water under the name ReNOKA (‘we are a river’).

ReNOKA represents a network of individuals, communities and professionals that are stronger together, fluid and growing, dedicated to the restoration of land and water and the long-term prosperity of all communities.

What is ReNOKA’s strategic approach?

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How is ReNOKA doing things differently?

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How can I get involved?

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ReNOKAExplore our dynamic, multi-media learning laboratory

    Impact Story

    Building knowledge to restore rangelands in Lesotho

    Lesotho’s rangelands are being devastated by the spread of non-native invasive plants and poor grazing management. From an economic perspective, farmers currently face many barriers to provide for their families through their livestock as they used to do.

    Read Story

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