Driving sustainable farming and rural development in Lesotho.
About us
In the 1940s, Dr. JJ Machobane, a respected author and one of the pioneers of Sesotho historical literature, returned to his home village in the Leribe district with a bold mission: to drive out hunger from his country.
Over 13 years of dedicated agricultural research and experimentation, he developed innovative, sustainable farming practices rooted in local knowledge. These included intercropping traditional maize fields with potatoes and vegetables, implementing intensive rotational planting systems that ensured year-round food production, and concentrating locally available manure and ash directly into planting beds to maximise soil fertility and crop yields.
To ensure these methods reached as many communities as possible, Dr. Machobane introduced a powerful knowledge-sharing model. Every farmer trained was required to teach at least twenty others. This grassroots approach later evolved into the Mantša Tlala (Drive Out Hunger) College, an institution dedicated to spreading practical agricultural knowledge and improving overall village livelihoods.
Today, MADF continues this legacy by empowering farmers with the Machobane Farming System, strengthening food security, restoring soil health, and supporting resilient rural communities across Lesotho.
01
Our Approach
How we do it
MADF works directly with farmers and communities to transfer practical knowledge, restore local food systems, and build long-term agricultural independence. Our approach combines indigenous farming wisdom with hands-on training and continuous community support.
02
The Team
