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Botswana Drought Makes Wasteland of Harvests, Livestock

Mqondisi Dube

   GABORONE, BOTSWANA - Southern Africa is experiencing one of the worst
   droughts in years, with more than 40 million people expected to face
   food insecurity because of livestock and crop losses. Botswana,
   Lesotho, Namibia and Zimbabwe have declared it an emergency.

   In semi-arid Botswana, the farmers are reeling after the worst drought
   in a decade wiped out entire harvests and left the land littered with
   dead livestock.

   Two thirds of the crops planted last season failed, while Ngamiland, a
   rich beef producing region, has recorded nearly 40,000 cattle deaths.

   Rancher Casper Matsheka says there was no food or water, so his animals
   starved to death.

   "The goats died, as well as the cattle, as you can see the carcasses
   all over. We were really affected. If only the government could
   subsidize the prices of feed and vaccines for the livestock during such
   times," he said.

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