By Kefiloe Kajane
Last week saw the launching of Mon-Foods, a 100 percent Basotho owned company that operates a poultry farm and produces high quality, locally produced chickens on a large scale.
Mon-Foods is arguably the first business of its kind in the country as they specialise in selling fresh chicken that they produce themselves.
Mon-Foods chairman Thabo Monyamane says the what they are the proudest of is the fact that the store is 100 percent Basotho owned. He said they hope to inspire other Basotho and make them realise that they too can establish their own businesses instead of relying on foreigners.
Monyamane enthused that they are reviving chicken production which used to be a common business in the 60s. He said in those years, Lesotho was one of the leading chicken producers in Africa.
He said they are working hard as Basotho and business people to make sure that Lesotho produces its own products. He said this will help in beating poverty when people produce for themselves instead of buying outside.
“Lesotho spends over M1.9billion a year on buying chicken from other countries. Every day the country buys 19 000 chickens from other countries. Imagine how much we could save as a country when we normalize producing for ourselves.
“We observed this problem a lot during lockdown because it meant there was no movement to go outside the country to buy certain things. We then realised the importance of producing for ourselves,” he explained.
He divulged that they will have the second phase of their business where they want to expand by building more coops for the chickens. He said they also plan to produce grains for their birds, which will in turn create 2 000 jobs for Basotho.
Economic adviser in the prime minister’s office Leketekete Ketso applauded Mon-Foods for setting a great example for many young Basotho who will be inspired by their business.
“We depend on other countries for everything. This is because we did not sit down and build our food security. This is the time to wake up and produce our own,” he said.
He encouraged young people to come together for the betterment of Lesotho and their future in the country.
He further stated that Basotho youth should take an example from Mon-Foods and realise that they too have what it takes to change Lesotho for the better.
