02 May 2024

Government values collaboration efforts with development partners such as United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)and other governments like Japan in drought relief programmes and finding solutions to challenges faced by the communities.

This was said by Okavango District council secretary, Ms Iris Sitayelo, on behalf of the Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Mabuse Pule, at a launch of a drought relief project in Shakawe on April 30.

Ms Sitayelo said the ministry was happy to be a part of the project, which aimed to relief the impact of drought on families and small scale farmers in Ngamiland.

She said 2023 and the two previous seasons were declared drought years and that had led to the increase in the number of people in need of assistance under various government social protection programmes.

She added that the Ipelegeng programme experienced an increase of about 20 000 slots countrywide out of which 1 630 were in Okavango District.

The project termed, strengthening the resilience of drought-affected households and Small-scale farmers in Ngamiland District to improve their food security, is funded by the Japanese government and implemented by Botswana government and the UNDP.

For his part, Ambassador of Japan to Botswana, Mr Ohmori Setsuo said the project was funded at the tune of US$408 352 (about P5.8 million) of Emergency Grant Aid.

“The UNDP proposed the project to the government of Japan last year August after the government of Botswana declared 2022/2023 a severe arable agriculture drought year throughout the country,” he said.

Mr Setsuo said the project provided an inclusive livelihood support for people of Ngamiland who were in dire need of assistance to boost their socio-economic recovery.

The project, he said also intended to reinforce climate change adaptation for households to have better water management in order to survive droughts.

He added that the Emergency Grant Aid was a 12-month programme which would provide assistance to youth, females and families facing severe impacts of drought, while over 2 000 people were expected to benefit from the project.

“It is important to alleviate the impact of the recent severe droughts and floods as well as to consider ways to respond to future climate change,” he said.

He indicated that the project reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to the health and wellbeing of the people of Botswana and that his government would continue to work with stakeholders with the concept of human security of ‘leaving no one behind’.

UNDP resident representative, Dr Balazs Harvath said the project recognised Botswana’s food security challenges and was informed by the 2023 Drought and Household Food Security Vulnerability Assessment and Analysis Report and the government’s declaration in July 2023 of 2022/23 as a severe agriculture drought year.

The project, he said aimed to augment Botswana government’s drought relief measures.

The project would also promote and support climate-smart agricultural practices of 200 community members engaged in cluster gardens to drive economic development and to support rehabilitation of essential community water supply infrastructure to build resilience and sustainability of 50 small scale commercial farmers. ENDS