The El Niño-induced drought during the 2023/2024 cropping season has significantly reduced Botswana’s gross domestic product (GDP) by 38 percent, according to a recent report by a local climate change advocacy organisation.
The Botswana Climate Change Network (BCCN), a non-profit entity dedicated to strengthening capacity on climate change and advocating for the development and implementation of policies supporting climate and environmental sustainability, has highlighted the severe impact of the drought on the country’s agricultural output.
In its report, BCCN revealed that crop yields plummeted from 206,572 metric tons in the 2021/2022 cropping season to 125,184 metric tons in the 2022/2023 season. Cereal production, a critical component of the nation’s food supply, now stands at only 23 percent of national needs.
The drought, attributed to climate change, has resulted from the warming of ocean waters and alterations in global rainfall patterns. These changes have led to extreme weather conditions, including both droughts and heavy floods, which have caused significant damage to crops and livestock, further exacerbating the crisis.
Late last month, President Mokgweetsi Masisi declared the 2023/2024 season an “extreme agricultural year.” The declaration followed a parched rainy season from October 2023 to March 2024, during which the country experienced below-average rainfall.
“Under the current climatic conditions, the reduction in Botswana’s GDP brought about by the drought equates to an annual 5.8 billion U.S. dollars in losses for the country’s GDP in 2023,” BCCN reported.
The organisation also noted that Botswana is among the eight African countries most severely affected by the drought, which has critically impacted both food security and water availability.
The BCCN’s report underscores the urgent need for adaptive measures and policies to mitigate the impacts of climate change on Botswana’s agriculture and economy. The situation highlights the broader challenges faced by nations across the globe as they grapple with the far-reaching consequences of a changing climate.
