Editing Economy of Lesotho (section)

== Sectors ==

=== Apparel ===
Lesotho has taken advantage of the [[African Growth and Opportunity Act]] (AGOA) to become the largest exporter of garments to the US from sub-Saharan Africa.<ref>{{cite web |title=Central Bank of Lesotho - Africa Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA): Economic Impact and Future Prospects |url=http://www.centralbank.org.ls/publications/Econo%20Review%20June%202011.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120715041226/http://www.centralbank.org.ls/publications/Econo%20Review%20June%202011.pdf |archive-date=2012-07-15 |access-date=2012-02-04}}</ref> American Brands and retailers sourcing from Lesotho include: [[Foot Locker]], [[Gap Inc.|Gap]], Gloria Vanderbilt, [[JCPenney]], [[Levi Strauss & Co.|Levi Strauss]], [[Saks Fifth Avenue|Saks]], [[Sears]], [[Timberland (company)|Timberland]] and [[Walmart|Wal-Mart.]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Purchase for Africa: An appeal for American apparel buys |url=http://insightnews.com/business/5126-purchase-for-africa-an-appeal-for-american-apparel-buys |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091101064849/http://insightnews.com/business/5126-purchase-for-africa-an-appeal-for-american-apparel-buys |archive-date=2009-11-01 |access-date=2009-10-28}}</ref> In mid-2004 its employment reached over 50,000 mainly female workers, marking the first time that manufacturing sector workers outnumbered government employees. In 2008 it exported 487 million dollars mainly to the United States. Since 2004 employment in the sector was somehow reduced to about 45,000, in mid-2011, due to intense international competition in the garment sector. It was the largest formal sector employer in Lesotho in 2011.<ref>{{cite web |title=World Bank - IFC - Africa Can Compete! The Miracle of Tiny Lesotho—Sub-Saharan Africa's Largest Garment Exporter |url=http://smartlessons.ifc.org/smartlessons/lesson.html?id=1342 |access-date=2012-02-04 |archive-date=2013-07-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130731130428/http://smartlessons.ifc.org/smartlessons/lesson.html?id=1342 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The sector initiated a major program to fight HIV/AIDS, called [[Apparel Lesotho Alliance to fight AIDS|Apparel Lesotho Alliance to Fight AIDS]] (ALAFA). It is an industry-wide program providing prevention and treatment for the workers.<ref>{{cite web |title=Apparel Lesotho Alliance to Fight AIDS (ALAFA) |url=http://www.alafa.info/Pages/Default.asp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110225072316/http://www.alafa.info/Pages/Default.asp |archive-date=2011-02-25 |access-date=2012-02-04}}</ref>

=== Husbandry ===
[[File:High_mountain_Shepherds.jpg|thumb|High-mountain shepherds]]

The western lowlands form the main agricultural zone. Almost 50% of the population earn income through informal crop cultivation or animal husbandry with nearly two-thirds of the country's income coming from the agricultural sector. About 70% of the population lives in rural areas and works in agriculture.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Lesotho National Human Development Report |year=2015}}</ref>