Botswana
Population (thousand) (2015): 2,262.49
Multidimensional Poverty Index Value: n.d.
Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index, Country Rank (2014): 106
Gross Domestic Product per capita, at Purchasing Price Parity (2015) (US$): 15,807.1
Background
Botswana started implementation of the PEI country programme in 2010. The main P-E linkages in Botswana relate to water resource management, land and rangeland degradation, biodiversity conservation, unsustainable use of natural resources, access to energy, pollution and waste management, and climate change. Environmental degradation is recorded for all key natural resource assets, including forests, soils and water resources.
To support the government in addressing these challenges, the PEI Botswana programme focuses on enhancing the integration of sustainable development in national, sector and district level policies, plans, budgets and monitoring systems and improving the knowledge and use of integrated tools and methodologies for sustainable natural resource management for the purpose of economic diversification and poverty eradication. Thereby the country program is contributing to the achievement of national development goals and the overall PEI Programme outputs.
PEI Botswana is jointly led by the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) and the Ministry of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism (MEWT) and UNDP-UN Environment PEI Botswana Team. In addition various sector ministries such as Local Government, Agriculture and the Office of the President are involved in the project implementation. PEI Botswana also partners with the World Bank programme on Wealth Accounting and Valuation of Ecosystem Services (WAVES) and is closely collaborating with the UNDP CO and is part of the One-UN processes under the UNRC in Botswana.
- Enhanced government capacity to mainstream poverty-environment linkages into national development plans. As a result, the revision of Botswana’s tenth National Development Plan 2010-2015 included an updated chapter on sustainable environmental management inspired by a PEI supported policy paper on natural capital accounting and poverty eradication.
- The draft tourism and wildlife sector policy included poverty-environment related objectives inspired by the PEI supported study “Contribution of Sustainable Natural Resource Management to Economic Growth, Poverty Eradication and Achievement of NDP 10 Goals.”
- The government’s Integrated Support Programme for Arable Agriculture Development (ISPAAD), which aims to ensure that farmers access the right type of seeds and benefit from subsidized inputs, was the subject of a PEI supported Poverty and Social Impact Analysis. Recommendations aimed at enhancing overall arable productivity and effectiveness of the main agriculture programme and further contribute to rural poverty alleviation and food security.
- The government led the preparations for the Rio+20 Conference and developed an issue paper highlighting the opportunities and possibilities for a green economy with support from PEI. The paper formed the basis for Botswana’s position paper to the Rio+ 20 preparatory process and the country’s sustainable development strategy. The government also hosted a Summit for Sustainability in Africa in preparation of the Rio+20 Conference which adopted the Gaborone Declaration; the latter has a strong focus on sustainable natural resource management and natural capital accounting.
- Local Economic Plans considers key poverty-environment linkages within the districts. PEI supported this process through the provision of funding for technical experts to identify poverty-environment linkages in Chobe and Kgalagadi districts. PEI also trained 30 district planners in integrated assessment and planning, and informed the content of the Manual for Local Economic Development planning.
- An overview of public sector expenditure on environment and natural resources was obtained through a Public Expenditure scoping study. The review recommended integrating environmental budget codes into the Government budget and expenditure system.
- A preliminary poverty-environment indicator framework was developed to inform and support the elaboration of Botswana’s forthcoming Poverty Eradication Strategy. The work was undertaken in the context of Botswana’s efforts to also strengthen the Poverty Monitoring and Information System which will be put in place to monitor progress of the strategy.
Understanding the governmental, political and institutional context
Economic Analysis
A Study of the Contribution of Sustainable Natural Resource Management to Economic Growth, Case Studies, Botswana, 2012- A Study of the Contribution of Sustainable Natural Resource Management to Economic Growth, Sector Assessment, Botswana, 2012
- A Study of the Contribution of Sustainable Natural Resource Management to Economic Growth, Discussion paper, Botswana, 2012
Public expenditure reviews and green budgeting
Raising awareness, communications and building partnerships
The Botswana Council of Non-Governmental Organisations (BOCONGO) is the national umbrella body for Non-Governmental Organisations
BIDPA is a non-governmental research organisation. Its aim is to promote policy analysis through research, capacity building, assisting organizations or individuals, monitoring the country’s economic performance and disseminating policy research results.