- Tsaone Segaetsho
Parliament has been informed that President Mokgweetsi Masisi has allocated P1.3 billion from the national treasury specifically to mitigate the drought season. This year has been marked by a lack of rainfall and low crop yields, severely affecting Botswana’s food security. Consequently, in May 2024, a report was issued as Masisi declared an agricultural drought season.
The matter was brought before Parliament, where ministers responsible for drought relief and agriculture were questioned on Wednesday regarding the government’s intervention. Representing the government, Cabinet Minister Mabuse Pule, whose ministry oversees social welfare and drought mitigation, stated that P1.32 billion has been earmarked for drought intervention. He added that Masisi, through Presidential Directive CAB 15(A)/2024, authorised the use of P1.26 billion.
The government is under pressure to address the effects of the drought as Botswana’s food security is at risk. A recent government report highlighted a significant decline in crop yields, with a drop from 206,572 tonnes harvested in 2021/22 to 125,184 tonnes in 2022/23. Furthermore, the report indicated that cereal production in 2022/23 reached only 67,530 tonnes, which is equivalent to just 23% of the national requirement.
“We have P36,796,200.00 that we must release to mitigate the effects of drought, and we have been given until the end of August to allocate the funds to the nation,” Pule told Parliament. He also mentioned that additional funds would be required from the government due to the severity of this year’s drought. He noted that the 2024 budget allocated P554 million for drought relief for “specific interventions.”
From the 2022/23 cropping season to the present, Botswana has experienced low and highly erratic rainfall, along with extended dry periods. This has severely impacted food and agricultural production, disrupted urban water supplies, and damaged the rural economy and socio-cultural structures. The government reported that as a result, the nation is facing significant chronic food insecurity, with over 10% of the population experiencing food and nutrition challenges.
“The country has experienced dry spells and rainfall deficits in recent years, leading the government to declare a drought emergency in July 2023. This marks the third consecutive year of severe drought, affecting arable agricultural land in a context where 70% of the rural population depends on agriculture for their livelihoods, primarily through rain-fed farming,” stated the government report released in May when this season was declared a drought period.
Last month, the Botswana Climate Change Network (BCCN) reported that El Niño-induced drought during the 2023/2024 cropping season has reduced Botswana’s gross domestic product (GDP) by 38%. BCCN is a climate change advocacy non-profit organisation focused on developing and implementing policies that support climate and environmental sustainability.
