BOTSWANA (27 February)
Abundant precipitation in the second and third dekads of February, following dry weather, provided relief to stressed cereal crops, mainly sorghum. However, the precipitation may have arrived too late to prevent yield reductions. The final outcome of the harvest from April will depend on the rains in the remainder of the season. The recent precipitation benefited grazing land for the important livestock sector.
The food supply situation remains stable. The country normally covers most of its cereal requirements through commercial imports. Following reported outbreaks of Foot and Mouth Disease in the country, the Government of South Africa banned livestock products from Botswana on 10 January 2003.