Skip to main content
Knowledge4Policy
Knowledge for policy
Supporting policy with scientific evidence

We mobilise people and resources to create, curate, make sense of and use knowledge to inform policymaking across Europe.

  • Publication | 2021
Drought Resilience Profiles - Botswana
Global Food and Nutrition Security

Botswana is one of the world’s most drought-prone countries, with multiple, multi-year droughts recorded since the 1950s. Drought adversely affects fragile food and agricultural production, disrupts water supply in urban centres and seriously impairs the rural economy and socio-cultural structures. As a result, the country faces serious chronic food insecurity with over 10% of its population facing food insecurity and nutrition problems. About 70% of rural households derive part of their livelihoods from agriculture; and crop production is mainly based on rain-fed farming. Ragelands resources, which cover more than 60% of the country and are the basis for the cattle industry, are the most affected by drought. The recent 2018/19 drought resulted in the failure of two thirds of the crops planted in the previous season, while Ngamiland, a rich beef producing region, recorded nearly 40,000 cattle deaths.