Twin crises conspire to befoul 2015 :: Mmegi Online

When a drought was last declared in 2013, the urbanites among the 500,000 or so residents of Greater Gaborone blithely went on with their lives, while their rural contemporaries clung onto government assistance as their economies collapsed. As another drought looms this year, the drying up of Gaborone Dam and the tenuous counter-measures mirror the desperation in the fields. Mmegi Staff Writer, MBONGENI MGUNI, reports on crises that have bridged the urban/rural divide

In July 2013, government declared a drought, following a 22-day nationwide assessment that found that while a high area of crops had been planted, a long dry spell had caused general failure. Within the next two months, the two teams annually dispatched by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development will again traverse the country, but this time it appears the exercise could be academic.

In the North East District, 872 farmers ploughed a total of 3,543.8 hectares of land in 2014, being a fraction of the 17,000 hectares of land from 60,300 farmers in 2013.

Already have an active account? Log in here.

Or Sign up and get unlimited access to premium articles.

Explore

More

Twin crises conspire to befoul 2015

Civil Society fights 'flawed' constitutional amendment

Civil Society calls for Constitution review governing Act

IEC rejects 2,513 registrations

Motshegwa prevails against detractors

Serowe woman ingests acid, attempts suicide

Serowe man 'loses' P1m in trading

MultiChoice appoints Johnson Otlaadisa to the role of Production Supervisor for Mzansi Bioskop Local Film Project

Grieving individuals urged to seek support

Inspect the voters' roll!