Lesotho is a land locked country, which lies between the latitudes of 28 and 31 degrees South and Longitudes 27 and 30 East. The country occupies an area of 30,350 square km. Most of the country is rugged mountain terrain with the highest peaks nearing 3,500 meters above sea level. The southern districts in which the project areas are located are prone to devastating droughts and desertification, including the formation of erosion gullies called "dongas".

It is a remote, poorly serviced area that is located in the Southern edge of the Mountains in the Senqu River valley. The region is mountainous with poor access roads and is least developed compared to most localities. It is one of the poorest regions in the country, many children (especially boys) do not attend school because of responsibilities herding livestock. Subsistence agriculture is the primary occupation and there is a very low average household income and inadequate access to agricultural inputs and markets. Roads and water supply systems are scarce. In addition, fields and livestock are in competition for land which is highly erodable and consequently very few families produce enough to eat.