UN agency calls for increased funding to fight food shortages in Botswana

Carla Mucavi, FAO representative in Botswana, speaks during the World Food Day commemoration in Gaborone, Botswana, on Oct. 22, 2024. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations has called for increased funding and innovative solutions to address drought-induced food shortages in Botswana and ensure food security. (Photo by Tshekiso Tebalo/Xinhua)

GABORONE, Oct. 23 (Xinhua) -- The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations has called for increased funding and innovative solutions to address drought-induced food shortages in Botswana and ensure food security.

Carla Mucavi, FAO representative in Botswana, said Tuesday during the World Food Day commemoration in Gaborone, the country's capital, that about 37,000 people in Botswana are facing food insecurity due to prolonged drought conditions. Globally, around 733 million people are undernourished, she noted.

Mucavi stressed that the 2024 Botswana Vulnerability Assessment Committee Report identifies the urgent need for increased financing. She called for innovative financial solutions, such as blended finance and concessional loans, to bridge the funding gap and strengthen resilience against challenges like climate change and economic instability.

In its efforts to assist Botswana in tackling hunger, malnutrition, and land degradation, the FAO has approved four new projects to support aquaculture, fodder production, school feeding programs, and the Green City initiative. These projects have secured funding and are set to begin implementation in 2025.

Meanwhile, Botswana's government launched a multimillion-U.S.-dollar agriculture program in April to improve community welfare while achieving national food security and nutrition targets.

World Food Day, celebrated annually on Oct. 16, was established by the FAO in 1945 to raise awareness about hunger and food security challenges. ■

People attend the World Food Day commemoration in Gaborone, Botswana, on Oct. 22, 2024. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations has called for increased funding and innovative solutions to address drought-induced food shortages in Botswana and ensure food security. (Photo by Tshekiso Tebalo/Xinhua)