THE STATUS OF KNOWLEDGE OF BASOTHO FARMERS ON IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON FORESTS: CASE STUDY MAFETENG DISTRICT, HA RAMOKOATSI VILLAGE (Click on title for abstract).

Climate change is a major challenge facing many developing countries, including the Mountain Kingdom of Lesotho. Forests play a vital role in supporting livelihoods and providing ecosystem services, yet increasing demand for fuelwood in rural areas has contributed to forest degradation. Although various forest management initiatives have been implemented to address this issue, their impact has been limited. This study explored farmers' perceptions of climate change impacts on forests, as well as adaptation and mitigation measures in forest management. The study was conducted in Ha Ramokoatsi, a rural community in the Mafeteng District of Lesotho, using open-ended interviews and focus group discussions with participants of different ages, educational backgrounds, and occupations. The findings suggest that participants were aware of changes in forest conditions and increasingly harsh weather patterns affecting forests. However, most participants did not connect these changes to climate change, reflecting limited awareness and knowledge of climate change issues. Almost all participants also reported having received no training related to climate change.