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