Informing humanitarians worldwide 24/7 — a service provided by UN OCHA

Botswana

GIEWS Country Brief: Botswana 21-March-2018

Attachments

FOOD SECURITY SNAPSHOT

  • Cereal production forecast to decline to well belowaverage levels in 2018, primarily on account of poor seasonal rains

  • Food prices mostly unchanged on yearly basis as of early 2018

  • Food security conditions expected to worsen in 2018 due to expected decrease in agricultural production

Poor weather expected to result in sharp cut to 2018 cereal production

Harvesting of the 2018 cereal crops is expected to begin in April and cereal production is forecast to fall sharply to a well belowaverage level. The decline would mostly be on account of unfavourable weather conditions, reflecting an uneven temporal distribution of seasonal rainfall, lower cumulative quantities and higher temperatures in early 2018. Despite some improvement in weather conditions since February, the reduced rains earlier in the season resulted in a contraction in cereal plantings and are expected to restrain yield potential.

National food supplies forecast to remain stable in 2018/19

More than 90 percent of the domestic cereal requirements are satisfied by imports and the country imports on average about 375 000 tonnes of cereals, mainly wheat and maize, per year. In the 2018/19 marketing year (April/March), the country’s reliance on imports, mostly from South Africa, is likely to increase moderately following the expected decline in cereal production.

However, given the ample cereal availibilities in South Africa, domestic supply conditions in the 2018/19 marketing year are expected to remain stable.

Food prices firmed up, but cereal costs fell

The overall food price level, measured by the food and nonalcoholic beverages component of the consumer price index, was unchanged on a yearly basis as of February 2018. Despite the higher prices for meats, vegetables and confectioneries, lower prices for cereals and breads kept overall food prices stable.