Lesotho is experiencing food insecurity as a result of drought despite being the site of the second largest dam in Africa, because water is being exported to its neighbour South Africa.

An estimated 680,000 people — more than a quarter of the total population – are in need of emergency food and assistance, according to the World Food Programme (WFP).

Crops are failing in the landlocked region because of erratic rainfall linked to the El Nino weather system, which has plunged swathes or eastern and southern Africa into drought. But farmers say that if they could irrigate crops with water from the vast Katse Dam they could increase their yield.

“I am very angry about that water, because it could benefit us, we could use it to water the crops when there is a drought. But that's not happening,” Mohlakoane Molise, a 65-year-old farmer, told AFP.

Mr Molise’s total annual harvest for 2016 filled just two large sacks, in place of the usual dozen. According WFP, the 2016 harvest for Lesotho's primary crop maize is less than a third of what it was last year.

While depleted, the Katse Dam is still at more than half its normal water level, meaning that many farmers are watching their crops shrivel and die against the backdrop of an expansive lake.

“The level today is about 63.4 percent, which is quite low,” Tatuku Maseatile, Katse acting branch manager for the Lesotho Highlands Development Authority, told AFP. “[But] we are still able to meet our annual targets in terms of both [electricity] generation and water transfer.”

When the Katse Dam was built in the nineties, Lesotho was dubbed the ‘Water Castle’ for South Africa, which surrounds it on all sides. It was negotiated that the dam would supply Lesotho with hydroelectricity, and the cities of Pretoria and Johannesburg in South Africa with water.

But Lesothian farmers said they have struggled to make a living since their land was flooded.

“There were fields around the river before the dam was built, and there were trees, but they are covered by water,” said Mr Molise.

“Since the dam is here, it's difficult to get water. The crops are very poor, even the grazing land. It's like a desert.”

Mozambique: Adapting to climate change with goats Show all 13 1 /13 Mozambique: Adapting to climate change with goats Mozambique: Adapting to climate change with goats This baby goat represents Rosa Aniva's new sustainable livelihood. Erratic rains, floods and droughts in the Zambezi River floodplains of Mozambique, mean that subsistence farmers like her can no longer rely on a harvest, so they are having to find new sources of income. Marcos Villalta/Save the Children Mozambique: Adapting to climate change with goats 'This year, we sowed our seeds, then there was a flood which washed everything away. We planted again and another flood came so we lost everything.' So Rosa and her fellow villagers formed an association and decided to diversify into goat-raising. Marcos Villalta/Save the Children Mozambique: Adapting to climate change with goats With support from Save the Children and funded by the British government's Department for International Development, each association member received five goats. The Floodplain Management Project aims to create livelihoods which are environmentally and economically viable. Marcos Villalta/Save the Children Mozambique: Adapting to climate change with goats 'The goats are very resistant and thrive here, whether there is a drought or floods. I already have two baby goats although we only started a few months ago. I'm going to have more and more goats and sell some of them.' Marcos Villalta/Save the Children Mozambique: Adapting to climate change with goats To stop crops being washed away unexpectedly, the Floodplain Management Project is providing subsistence farmers in the Zambezi Valley with new ways of irrigating crops and helping them to plant in less flood-prone areas. Marcos Villalta/Save the Children Mozambique: Adapting to climate change with goats Falesse (left) is the treasurer of an association which produces vegetables with an irrigation system. 'We want to have an activity that doesn’t depend so much on the weather and with irrigation we can basically produce all year round.' Marcos Villalta/Save the Children Mozambique: Adapting to climate change with goats The irrigation project has enabled Falesse's association to grow onions and tomatoes, which they have sold in large quantities at the market. The income helps them to provide for their children and improve their living conditions. Marcos Villalta/Save the Children Mozambique: Adapting to climate change with goats Oxen are helping members of another association to expand their livelihoods. With training, equipment and cattle from Save the Children, they have increased their planting area and moved away from the floodplains up to the highlands. This gives them a bigger and better harvest. Marcos Villalta/Save the Children Mozambique: Adapting to climate change with goats Extra income comes from renting out their cart, and transporting food and goods for other people. Association member Oliveira Jose Zeca says: 'with this additional income we will be able to pay for school fees and transport for children to access higher education.' Marcos Villalta/Save the Children Mozambique: Adapting to climate change with goats With recurring droughts and floods, producing food is a major issue. But setting up a bakery with funding from Britain has meant that one association is managing to generate income to buy food and clothes for their families. Marcos Villalta/Save the Children Mozambique: Adapting to climate change with goats Funds from the British government via Save the Children helped Isabel Joaquim Marquez and her partners to build this oven and learn how to bake bread. Baking provides the group with an alternative source of income when harvests fail. Marcos Villalta/Save the Children Mozambique: Adapting to climate change with goats 'When I was a young girl there was always a good harvest that we could rely on. What we now get from the fields is much lower. But with the sale of bread, we’ve managed to generate some income.' Marcos Villalta/Save the Children Mozambique: Adapting to climate change with goats In just two hours today, Isobel’s association has already sold half of its bread. 'My dream is that we reach a point where we can overcome all the challenges that we’ve had with the drought and the floods so we don't have to worry about whether we are going to have enough food or not,' says Isobel. Marcos Villalta/Save the Children

The tiny nation is now forced to import food from South Africa, which has also been affected by El Nino, reducing crop yield and pushing prices up by 60 per cent in the past year.

“From September, we'll have nothing left and we'll struggle to buy maize from the shop,” said Mr Molise.