Zambezi River Basin

cattle stock has been noted from 2002 to 2008 (Government of Botswana 2009), adding a total of 500 000 cattle to an already large national herd, as shown in Figure 4.9.

Some forest cover is lost to fuelwood that supplies 98 per cent of domestic energy in rural areas and 79 per cent in urban areas (Government of Botswana 2009), but timber operations have been banned since 1992, due to the poor forest resources base (SADC/ SARDC and others 2008). Figure 4.10 shows the reduction in forest cover.

Cattle stocks in Botswana

Thousand head

3 000

2 500

Change in proportion of land area covered by forests in Botswana

2 000

Percentage

25

1 500

20

1 000

15

500

10

0 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

5

Source: FAO 2010

Figure 4.9

0

1990

1995

2000

2005

2010

Agriculture makes up about 2.3 per cent of Botswana’s GDP, and out of this contribution cattle production makes up 70–80 per cent. © SARDC © P. Johnson, SARDC

Source: FAO 2010

Figure 4.10

Botswana’s per capita carbon emissions levels are shown to be the highest in the region, as presented by the African Development Bank, but have not been a significant part of environmental monitoring at local level to date. Figure 4.11 shows carbon emissions levels for Botswana.

Metric Tonnes Carbon dioxide emissions in Botswana

2.6

2.5

2.4

2.3

2.2

2.1

2.0

1.9

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

2006 2007 2005 2008

Source: AfDB 2010

Figure 4.11

85