Rethabile Pitso
HIS Majesty King Letsie III has visited an eco-sustainable farm in Malealea, Mafeteng, run by Eternal Flame Worldwide (EFW), an initiative he said closely aligns with his role as the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Special Ambassador for Nutrition and the African Union (AU) Nutrition Champion.
During the Friday visit, the King toured the EFW teaching farm, which provides community training in sustainably grown food. Working in partnership with the Malealea Development Trust, EFW also showcased a range of community-based products aimed at improving local livelihoods.
Chief among these is an eco-friendly cooking bag made from locally sourced agave fibres and sewn by community members. Similar in concept to the Wonderbag, the product has been fully localised using materials found in Lesotho.
Following the tour and presentations, King Letsie III said he was impressed by what he had seen.
“A few years ago, I was approached by Mr Dunn, accompanied by several Basotho women, with a request that I become a custodian of the projects they wished to embark upon,” the King said.
“I asked them to first demonstrate what they were willing to do, and today’s visit forms part of that demonstration.
“I am really impressed by what this team has achieved here. As an ambassador for nutrition, matters of growing healthy food and nutrition are close to my heart. What I have witnessed today are outstanding projects worthy of investment. The community is being equipped with valuable skills, and for that I am grateful.”
EFW Chief Executive Officer, Kenneth Dunn, explained that the green aloe, an indigenous plant that grows widely in Lesotho, inspired the development of the eco-cooking bag.
“Basotho are extremely hardworking people, but that often means there is little time for rest. Even something as simple as preparing food involves tedious tasks such as chopping wood, fetching water and choking on smoke while cooking,” Mr Dunn said.
“Our ambition with creating this bag was to minimise those activities while at the same time preserving the nutritional value of the food.”
He said unlike traditional cooking methods, where lifting the pot lid allows nutrients to escape, the cooking bag keeps the pot sealed throughout the process.
“After heating the food, you simply place the pot inside the eco-bag and close it tightly. The food continues to cook evenly, even overnight, without losing nutrients,” he explained.
The bag is made by scraping the agave plant (lekhala) to remove its skin and extract the fibres. The fibres are then washed, treated, dried and weighed before being stuffed into designated pockets in the bag. The finished product resembles a puffy round ball with a hollow centre to hold the cooking pot. Drawstrings are tightened around the pot to keep it in place and prevent heat loss.
While men at the site are mainly responsible for scraping the agave, most of the sewing and stuffing is done by young women from the Malealea Thusanang Bacha Nutrition Club.
One of the members, ’Marapelang Tsibolane from Ha Tsea-ea-Nku village, said the initiative had transformed their lives beyond the economic benefits.
“By coming together, we have learned the importance of waking up with a purpose. Young women are learning to stand up for themselves and make positive changes in their lives.
“Over the years, we have noticed a significant reduction in teenage pregnancies and early marriages, as this work has become a source of inspiration,” Ms Tsibolane said.
She said members had also received training in food production and cooking, enabling them to diversify their businesses.
“Since Ntate Ken is not at the facility throughout the year, we have learned to diversify our products. In our showroom, we sell preserved foods and other artefacts that are popular with tourists.”
She added that the group remains hopeful that once the organisation reaches its goal of establishing a permanent manufacturing facility in Malealea, their earnings will increase.
“We produce about 40 bags a week when resources are available, and we export overseas. Mr Dunn takes some of the products with him when he travels to Europe.
“Last year, we exported about 200 bags, in addition to those sold locally. We are really proud of the progress being made, even though everything is still a work in progress.”