The Government of Botswana (GOB) has proven itself increasingly adept at managing drought relief, and has applied lessons from past efforts to achieving the difficult balance between short-term relief and long-term development. Two of its exemplary approaches are: self-targeting cash for work; and effective permanent institutional mechanisms for dealing with drought. In Botswana, statutory institutions meant to deal with emergencies meet periodically. These institutions work efficiently, across ministries and sectors. Moreover, the GOB program has effectively decentralized drought relief implementation to the district level, with corresponding transfers of authority and financial means. A strong tracking and monitoring system provides ongoing assessment of local food security. The GOB’s approach avoids creation of parallel bureaucracies by implementing programs using existing field officers. This also avoids duplication of efforts and conflict with implementation of ongoing development programs. In this way, relief activities are carried out and monitored by the same officers who plan and manage the country’s overall economic development program. The philosophy underlying Botswana’s drought relief program is that rural households are responsible for their own food security and people are expected to plan for bad years during good rainfall years. The need for government assistance in the form of food aid is seen as a programmatic failure to be avoided. (Author abstract, modified)
