Star Awards (PTY) LTD
Gaborone, Botswana
14 October 2014
News Release
Government far from winning war on poverty
despite concerted eradication efforts
More Batswana report experiencing deprivation of basic needs such as water, cash income,
and food, according to a new Afrobarometer study. Close to four in ten (37%), in 2014 report
having gone without cash income "many times" or "always" as compared to 33% in 2003. Food
remains a problem, with 15% Batswana reporting deprivation from food "many times" or "always"compared to 16% in 2014 and 10% in 2008.
The data is being released during a time when the government is rigorously implementing
Poverty eradication programmes such as Ipelegeng, Livestock Management and Infrastructure
Development LIMID, Integrated Support Programme for Arable Agricultural Development
(ISPAAD) backyard gardening e.tc in an effort to create employment and eradicate poverty.
Key Findings

Shortage of water is increasingly becoming a problem in all areas. The percentage of
people going without water for home use many times and always is on the rise,
increasing from 11% in 2003 to 17% in 2014.

In 2014, 6% of the respondents in the rural areas, 15% in semi urban areas, and 25% in
urban areas report that they have gone without water many times and always.

Since 2005, more than a third of Batswana report shortages in cash income: 38% in 2008,
39% in 2012 and 37% in 2014. 23% of the citizens in urban areas, 33% in semi urban and
49% in rural areas have gone without a cash income many times and always in 2014.
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Charts
Figure 1: Gone without enough clean water for home use
Botswana | 2003-2014
80
70
Percentage
60
50
Never
40
Just once or twice/
several times
30
Many times/Aways
20
10
0
2003 2005 2008 2012 2014
“Over the past year, how often, if ever, have you or anyone in family
B) Gone without enough clean water for home use?”
i)
Never
ii)
Just once or twice
iii)
Several times
iv)
Many times
v)
Always
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Figure 2: Gone without a cash income
Botswana | 2003-2014
100
90
80
Percentage
70
60
Never
50
Just once or twice/
several times
40
Many times/Aways
30
20
10
0
2003
2005
2008
2012
2014
“Over the past year, how often, if ever, have you or anyone in family
E) Gone without a cash income?”
i)
Never
ii)
Just once or twice
iii)
Several times
iv)
Many times
v)
Always
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Figure 3: Gone without cash income (Many times/Always)
Botswana |2014
100
90
Percentage
80
70
60
Urban
50
Semi-Urban
40
Rural
30
20
10
0
2003
2005
2008
2012
2014
Respondents were asked:” over the past year, how often, if ever have you or anyone in your
family:
A. Gone without enough food to eat?
B. Gone without enough clean water for home use
C. Gone without medicine or medical treatment?
D. Gone without enough fuel to cook your food?
E. Gone without cash income?
Options: (never, just once or twice, several times, many times, always)
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Figure 4: Gone without food
Botswana | 2003-2014
100
90
80
Percentage
70
60
50
49
52
40
30
20
32
35
49
37
34
30
19
13
10
54
53
16
15
10
0
2003
Never
2005
2008
Just once or twice/ several times
2012
2014
Many times/Aways
“Over the past year, how often, if ever, have you or anyone in family
A) Gone without enough food to eat?
i)
Never
ii)
Just once or twice
iii)
Several times
iv)
Many times
v)
Always
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Figure 5: Gone without food, water, medicine, fuel and cash income
(Many times/Always)
Percentage
Botswana |2003-2014
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
33
19
13
10
16 15
Gone without
food to eat
11 10 1113
17
Gone without
clean water for
home use
2003
2005
38 39 37
27
12 12 10
9 7 10 9 10
9
8
Gone without
medicine/care
2008
2012
Gone without
enough fuel to
cook
Gone without
cash income
2014
Respondents were asked:” over the past year, how often, if ever have you or anyone in your
family:
F. Gone without enough food to eat?
G. Gone without enough clean water for home use
H. Gone without medicine or medical treatment?
I. Gone without enough fuel to cook your food?
J. Gone without cash income?
Options: (never, just once or twice, several times, many times, always)
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Afrobarometer
Afrobarometer is an African-led, non-partisan research project that has measured countries’
social, political, and economic atmosphere since 1999. In its sixth survey round (2014-15), it is
covering 35 countries. In Botswana , the face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults were done by
Star Awards (Pty) Ltd. Afrobarometer is funded by the UK Department of International
Development (DfID), U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Swedish International
Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), Mo Ibrahim Foundation, and World Bank.
The Afrobarometer Round 6 public opinion survey interviewed 1,200 Batswana in June 2014. The
nationally representative sample yields a +/- 3% margin of error with a 95% confidence level.
For more information, please contact:
Prof. Mogopodi Lekorwe or Dr Lucky Mokgatlhe
Star Awards (Pty) Ltd at 355 2741: 7131 2942/355 2694: 7255 4903
Email: [email protected]/ [email protected]
Please visit our website at www.afrobarometer.org
Follow us on Twitter at @Afrobarometer.
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