Botswana is entering a troubling “new normal” marked by worsening droughts, unreliable rainfall, and escalating risks to food and water security. That’s according to a new global analysis released by the U.S. National Drought Mitigation Center and the UN Convention to Combat Desertification.
The report, titled Drought Hotspots Around the World 2023–2025, identifies Botswana as one of the regions most vulnerable to extreme drought conditions in the coming years. After enduring its third consecutive extreme agricultural drought in 2023–2024, the country has seen crop production plummet and over 10% of the population now facing food and nutrition insecurity.
“It was unclear how many of the endangered animals had perished as they sought water and refuge from the heat and sun,” states the report. It adds that in order to prevent human-wildlife conflict (HWC), authorities requested that hippos be moved from the Thamalakane River in Maun.
Among other things, the latest report provides a comprehensive account of how droughts compound poverty, hunger, energy insecurity, and ecosystem collapse. Furthermore, the report highlights how Botswana’s coping mechanisms have been strained as a result of the extended drought in Southern Africa, which has affected Botswana with severe soil moisture deficits and vegetative stress brought on by above-average temperatures and little rainfall. It adds that some communities across Botswana are resorting to desperate measures to survive the drought, indicating the severity of the crisis and the limitations of existing support systems.
Back in August 2024, nearly one in six people across Southern Africa needed help getting enough food. That’s out of a total population of 68 million. The report pulls together information from hundreds of sources—governments, scientists, and media—to show just how serious the drought situation is in places like Botswana, Malawi, Namibia, and Zambia, which are some of the hardest hit.
Over the years, the government has rolled out billions in aid to help cushion the blow of drought. That money’s gone toward supporting vulnerable groups and helping farmers pay off debts and buy feed for their livestock.
