National policy on disaster management

REPUBLIC OF BOTSWANA
NATIONAL POLICY
ON
DISASTER MANAGEMENT
Approved through Presidential Directive
No. CAB. 27/96
August, 1996
REPUBLIC OF BOTSWANA
OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
NATIONAL POLICY ON DISASTER MANAGEMENT
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INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND
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1. The Republic of Botswana is prone to a number of disasters,
principally drought; but on a local basis, floods, veld fires,
ATA epidemics, pest infestations, transport and industrial
Canol accidents, chemical spills etc. do occur. The possibility of
refugee influxes also exists. Events of this nature can
eds seriously disrupt the process of development. Since 1981,
Botswana has experienced recurrent drought, the periods 1981
to 1987 and 1991 to
to 1992 being particularly severe.
response to this, Government has developed, over time, an
integrated series of activities aimed at providing effective
early warning and response when drought occurs. This strategy
has gone a long way towards ensuring that vulnerable
populations are able to sustain themselves during periods of
food shortage without falling into destitution. However,
until now, little action has been taken structure a response
to other disasters that might occur and there has been little
or no emphasis on disaster mitigation within the National
Development Plan and associated programmes.
2
However, it is a development objectives of Government to re-
invest the proceeds from non-replenishable
resources to
promote sustainable development which can only be ensured
through, inter alia, the country's ability to cope with
whatever contingencies arise, including natural and other
calamities.
2.
Drought management is structured under the Ministry of Finance
and Development Planning and coordinated by the Rural
Development Council under which technical and operational
committees are constituted, principally the Inter-Ministerial
Drought Committee which receives technical inputs from the
National Food Security Monitoring Group, the Grain Reserve