President Mokgweetsi Masisi has declared 2022/2023 a severe arable agricultural drought year throughout the country. According to a statement from government, Masisi’s declaration followed the consideration of the 2022/23 drought and household food and security vulnerability and analysis report.
“For the second half of the rainfall season (January to March 2023), only the south eastern areas and eastern Ngamiland received significant amounts of rainfall. Kgalagadi, Ghanzi and western Ngamiland were particularly dry. Long dry spells were experienced in January (21 days) and March (12 days). Only the month of February received good rains. The temporal distribution of rainfall was poor even in areas exhibiting good rainfall, thus a moderate meteorological dry season,” reads the statement.
Furthermore, government has revealed that the Ministry of Agriculture will make a 30% provision for livestock (beef cattle and small stock) feed subsidy. The Ministry will also make provision for 30% subsidy for non-traditional commodities (dairy, piggery, aquaculture and poultry).
Government will also provide 50% for acaricides and antibiotic for control treatment of animals with amblyomma (bont tick) and dermatophylosis (Senkoba). The Ministry of Finance will pay 40% of the seasonal loans to farmers who received loans from Citizen Entrepreneurial Agency (CEDA) and National Development Bank (NBD).
The Ministry of Health will continue with a consistent supply of ready-to-use therapeutic foods for children with acute malnutrition. According to the statement, government will also increase the Ipelegeng quota to an additional 10,000 slots, to cater for the high number of beneficiaries on the waiting lists.
