WHEN RAIN CLOUDS DON’T GATHERGender, Agriculture and Food

Security in BotswanaBy Onalenna Selolwane

Structure of Crop Production

Largely dependent on rainfall Almost all the grains (sorghum, maize and

millet) are priduced through rainfed agriculture using mixed crop cropping systems

The sector is dominated by small scale producers cultivating fields 5ha and below. But also has medium scale farmers (5 ha and 15 ha)

Larger farmers plough more than 15 ha, with only 2% ploughing more than 300 ha

Structure........

Crop production contributes less than 20% agricultural GDP provides on average 20% of the national

demand for grains, 15% of the demand for vegetables, 25% of the demand for fruits

Has highly variable output: with grains varying from 8.2 thousand to 175 thousand metric tons.

Female farmers are more involved in crops than in the livestock sector

The Land of Gendered Rains

Because crop production is largely rainfed, rainfall patterns play a very significant role in the crop sector

But rainfall is very low and highly variable within and between years

Within a twenty year cycle there will be years of relative wetness where rainfall is mostly above average and years of mostly below average rainfall and even serious

drought. When the wet has steady, generous rain that allows for

optimum plant growth and respectable harvests, Batswana define this pattern as female rains.

Male rains are those that are inadequate in the provision of sustained moisture and expected volume of harvests

Impact of low, variable rainfall on rainfed agriculture

the soils Drought exacerbates

deficiencies of the soil

Reduces capacity of fertilisers to enrich the soil

Results in soils that have low capacity to retain moisture

Reduces productivity

crop production Insufficient moisture

inhibits plant germination and growth

Reduces capacity of plants to absorb nutients from fertilizers

Leads to low and erratic yields.

Makes crop production highly risky.

Gendered Dimensions of Crop farming

Male Farmers Have relatively better

access to cattle draught power

Have relatively higher cash income earnings

Tend to have better balance of male and female labour, so on average Plough larger fields Produce relatively igher

Female Farmers Have less access to

cattle draught power, and

Also tend to have less cash income and investible resources,

Also challenged by limited access to male labour, so Rely on borrowing and

tend to plough smaller fields

Tend to have lower output

Food and Income Strategies in Low and Erratic Rainfall Conditions

Botswana’s low and erratic rainfall conditions have historically resulted in low and erratic crop outputs.

Among households still dependent on cropping, food strategies have relied on combining on farm production with a wide variety of off farm activities Wage employment Sale of crafts and veld products Subsistence gathring and hunting.

Food and Income.....

Wage employment for most people does not provide sufficient income to meet household food and other requirements

Rural households that are food secure are those with principal members engaged in cash employment and investing in crop production

The least food secure are those whose crop output falls below 60% of the caloric needs of the family, but cannot make up the deficit through cash purchases

Because both crop production and cash employment do not provide adequately for the rural households, many depend on government support.

Women account for a significant proportion of those with food deficits.

Emerging Threats to Food Security and Crop Production

Botswana’s harsh physical environment has always undermined household and national capacity for food production

But a number of new and persistent threats are adding to the precarious situation and these include: Global warming and declining water resources Urbanization and urban sprawl eating arable fields to grow

houses Heavy imports that undercut local crop prices Aging population of farmers and declining youth

participation Persisting lack of innovation and technology Persisting weak agricultural infrastructure Sluggish markets and marketing infrastructure

Emerging Opportunities

Crop Production Has Mostly been dominated by staples and other traditional crops

But crop diversification offers new opportunities that might expand the food security and cash income position of small scale farmers and women in particular.

These include small scale irrigation based horticulticaltural produce Animals feeds Fruits

Irrigation is grossly underdeveloped and its potential underutilized in Botswana

.... Opportunities

Although Botswana’s Vision 2016 envisages an innovative society, the education strategy has not been geared at creative an innovative and productive society Like most African countries Botswana has focussed on

achieving basic education for all at the expense of higher education where innovation effectively begins.

This compares unfavourably with north African and middle east countries which had lower levels of education among the working age population but have now reached more than 50% working age piopulation in higher education.

Botswana has only belated strated refocussing away from producing public servants towards training for science, technology and private sector skill requirements.

There is great potential to use education for skill development and innovation.

Meantime, when rain clouds dont gather, household food stocks are threatened