Labor migration in Southern Africa and agricultural development: some lessons from Lesotho

The authors examine policy issues with regard to attempts by Lesotho to develop agriculture as a viable alternative to out-migration for employment and income. They argue that "an appropriate agricultural development strategy for Lesotho would emphasize relatively labor- and land-intensive agricultural enterprises, such as horticultural operations and closely managed livestock activities. The suggestion is that only agriculture of this kind will generate sufficient returns on a limited land base to dissuade men from going to the mines. Our paper develops a more complete theoretical and empirical foundation for examining this as well as other agricultural strategies."