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President Masisi declared the 2023/24 season a year of extreme agricultural drought. The government said in a statement that the decision was taken after careful consideration of the comprehensive report from the recently concluded drought and household food security vulnerability assessment and analysis exercise.
The report noted that the rainy season from October 2023 to March 2024 was unusually dry. Rainfall across the country remained below average, posing major challenges to agriculture and water resources.
The press release said that delayed rains and continued drought have severely affected crops. Most crops withered and reduced yields during the season. The area planted this season has decreased by 36% compared to the previous year, and the total output is estimated to be only 6% of the national cereal requirement of 300,000 metric tons.
The press release states that this means extreme agricultural drought on arable land. At the time of the assessment, grazing conditions across the country had begun to show signs of deterioration, with limited surface water supplies in some areas. The press release states that the number of drought-related deaths recorded is estimated to be over 16,000. The press release states that these highlight that the livestock sector is suffering from the effects of extreme drought.
The press release further states that water levels in dams and rivers across Botswana have dropped significantly. Water levels in some dams are now at critically low levels, operating at less than 30% of capacity. The press release also states that as Botswana faces this difficult time, the government is actively working to respond to the crisis and support affected communities. In addition, the government has taken measures to help people cope with the drought, such as providing subsidies to farmers and providing boreholes to communities facing severe water shortages.
In declaring 2023/2024 an extremely dry year, the government also noted that the rainy season from October 2023 to March 2024 was unusually dry, with below-average rainfall across the country. The statement said February was particularly bad, with the country experiencing its driest weather since 1980, resulting in extremely low reservoir levels and water levels in major rivers such as the Thamalakane and Chobe at their lowest levels in a decade.
The report said drought and high temperatures forced wildlife to travel long distances in search of water, leading to human-wildlife conflicts. More than 1,170 fires were also reported across the country, affecting about 855,861 hectares of land, the statement said.
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