El Nino piles pressure on food prices

El Niño is a cyclical weather event which, in Botswana and neighbouring countries, is associated with drought, including prolonged dry spells and frequent heatwaves. In Botswana and neighbouring countries, the recently ended cropping season experienced the most prolonged dry spell for February in 40 years, decimating crops and endangering food security.

South Africa, the region’s breadbasket which traditionally supports Botswana’s grain requirements, expects a 20% drop in white maize harvests this year and countries such as Zimbabwe are already looking as far afield as Brazil for imports.