Botswana has a semi-arid climate, characterized by warm winters, hot summers, low rainfall, and high evapotranspiration. The country is prone to frequent roughts, Lately occurring every two years rather than once every four years, as in the previous decade. Only 5 percent of Botswana’s area is suitable for cultivation and less than 1 percent is cultivated. The major staple crops, sorghum and maize, are mostly grown in the eastern region. While the contribution of agriculture to GDP has declined to about 2 percent over the past decade, agriculture remains the mainstay activity for the rural economy, employing 30 percent of the workforce.

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