Beef sector faces worst crisis amid African Armyworm outbreak

Botswana’s beef industry is facing its worst crisis in decades following a devastating outbreak of African armyworm that has ravaged grazing pastures across the country, placing the sector — and national food security — on the brink of collapse.

A joint report released this week by the Ministry of Agriculture and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations warns that the infestation has decimated grazing land, especially in the northern and eastern districts, where cattle rearing is a primary source of livelihood.

“The African armyworm infestation has created stark disparities in forage availability across Botswana's districts, with three regions emerging as critical emergency zones,” the report says.

According to the findings, the North West district is facing the most severe crisis, having lost 396.25 hectares — nearly 24 percent of its total grassland — while supporting 46,398 cattle. This translates to a dangerous stocking density of 28 cattle per hectare. The report warns that this combination of heavy grazing pressure and significant forage loss creates conditions for a potential herd collapse without immediate intervention.

Boteti district follows with 341 hectares lost, representing 13 percent of grassland. The area supports 39,763 cattle at a density of 15 cattle per hectare — another high-risk scenario that is likely to trigger distress livestock sales. Charleshill presents perhaps the most alarming case, with 52 hectares of grassland lost and 26,084 cattle crammed onto just 395 hectares, resulting in a catastrophic stocking density of 66 cattle per hectare.

Moderate impacts were recorded in Kanye and Moshupa , which lost 1,578.5 hectares, or 3.6 percent of grassland. However, the relatively low cattle density of 1.6 per hectare provides some buffer against an immediate crisis. Letlhakeng’s 31.5-hectare loss, just 0.3 percent of its grassland, is considered low-risk given its stocking rate of 7 cattle per hectare. Districts such as Kgatleng and South East reported negligible impacts, but the report recommends continued surveillance to monitor for potential secondary outbreaks.

The infestation has degraded nearly 2,500 hectares of rangelands, yet only 4.2 percent — 104.4 hectares — of the affected areas have been successfully treated. This has led to widespread forage shortages, declining livestock body conditions, and potential drops in milk and meat production. Although natural predators like birds have provided limited relief in some areas, the overall impact on livestock-dependent communities remains acute.

The report stresses that the armyworm invasion poses a dual threat by damaging both crops and pastures. More than 2,000 hectares of maize fields have also been affected, compounding the strain on food availability and rural livelihoods. The widespread use of similar pesticide classes, coupled with inconsistent application timing, threatens to undermine future control efforts and escalate environmental and health risks.

“Livestock producers face an even graver scenario,” the report says. “In several districts, cattle stocking densities have far exceeded sustainable thresholds, putting extreme pressure on already degraded pastures.” It urges the government and partners to scale up emergency fodder supplies, intensify surveillance, and provide targeted support for pastoral livelihoods, especially in districts flagged under “emergency risk” conditions.

The joint assessment calls for a shift from emergency response to long-term resilience-building. It recommends promoting drought- and pest-tolerant seed varieties, rehabilitating rangelands, expanding early warning systems, and mainstreaming pest management into national disaster preparedness frameworks. Equally vital, the report notes, is empowering smallholder farmers and herders through training, timely access to inputs, and inclusion in decentralized surveillance networks.

“Without sustained investment in resilience-building and integrated response mechanisms, Botswana’s agricultural systems will remain vulnerable to recurring crises,” the report concludes. “This threatens not just food security, but the very livelihoods of our rural population.”