Unfortunately its enormous potential to be part of the changes required is severely hindered by a lack of developmental focus and a shortage of well trained technical staff and teachers to lead this process. Church leadership is aware of these needs and is looking for international assistance from Catholic donors to undertake this internal transformation. The average annual cereal requirements instead have increased from 260,017 mt in the 1970's to about 400,000 mt in the 1990's. This decline can not be attributed to the erratic weather patterns which have been a constant presence in Lesotho. These assertions have no basis.
Water is the country's most important and abundant natural resource.
While regions of the country may face periods of insufficient rainfall, the country has literally incalculable natural sources of water available year around from natural springs, highland frost, and intense though unpredictable rains in most areas. Most of these water sources are not adequately measured. A team of hydrologists estimated it would take six years to fill the Katse Dam catchment area. It filled in two years. It is misleading to describe the country as vulnerable to drought.