PLA Notes CD-ROM 1988-2001 16 Livestock, livelihood and drought: a PRA exercise in Botswana

Document begins: PLA Notes CD-ROM 1988­2001 16 Livestock, livelihood and drought: a PRA exercise in Botswana Neela Mukherjee This note is based on a PRA training exercise · conducted with the villagers of Mapoka, Crop failures; Zwenshambe and Nlaphwane in the north-east · Shortage of pasture; and, district of Botswana and the participants of a · Livestock mortality (leading to loss of PRA workshop. The workshop was arranged draft power and manure, further reducing by the FAO Farming Systems Programme, capacities to grow crops). Gabarone, Botswana in June 1992. Some interesting aspects of livelihood emerged from Livestock, although few in number at the time, the exercise and are described below. play a critical role in the subsistence economies in the north-east district of Botswana. They are used primarily as a source Background of draft, manure, income and food. The climate of the north-east district of Participatory methods Botswana is semi-arid, with a rainy season generally lasting six months, although there are marked variations in annual rainfall. It is a Some PRA methods were used to learn more region largely inhabited by the Bakalanga about the relationship between the villagers people. and their livestock. This paper presents a selection of livestock ...