Botswana has a semi-arid climate and combines livestock farming with crop production. Agriculture contributes less than 2% to gross domestic product, while the food import bill stood at 14.7 billion pula in 2024. According to the Food Balance Sheet analysis for 2021 to 2023, an average of 2,690 kilocalories per person per day were available. Maize meal provided 21% of this available energy, wheat and wheat-blend flour 10%, sunflower oil 8%, refined sugar 7% and raw cow's milk 6%. There are major differences between domestic production and import dependence for grains. In 2023, the self-sufficiency rate was 78% for sorghum, 101% for millet, 11% for maize, 1% for wheat and 0% for rice. This indicates strong dependence on maize, wheat and rice imports, while millet may indicate a domestic surplus. Botswana's agricultural marketing board (Botswana Agricultural Marketing Board) supports the market for certain grains, pulses and oilseeds. Botswana's agriculture ministry (Ministry of Lands and Agriculture) is working on local production, lower import dependence, diversification and value addition. Typical dishes combine grains, meat, pulses and vegetables. A slow-cooked, pounded meat dish (seswaa) consists of beef or goat meat cooked slowly and pounded. A sorghum dish combining lerotse and madila (bogobe jwa lerotse) uses sorghum flour, lerotse and madila; bogobe, phaleche or mabele are often eaten with meat, beans or a leafy vegetable (morogo). Other documented foods include dikgobe, lebelebele or zengwe, madombi, mokoto, mokwetjep, pap, fish or tlhapi, as well as phane or mophane. Preparation and use vary by household, region and occasion. These foods appear, among other places, at special occasions, in restaurants, food courts and from street vendors. The available protein supply was 70.6 grams per person per day in 2023. Maize meal, wheat and wheat-blend flour, boneless beef, raw cow's milk and bone-in meat were significant protein sources. However, available food quantities do not automatically describe individual consumption or an adequate diet. In 2023/24, 28.1% of the population experienced moderate and 19.1% severe food insecurity. Together, the share was 47.2%. In rural areas, the share experiencing moderate or severe food insecurity was 59.1%, compared with 45.7% in urban villages (Urban Villages) and 32.6% in cities. Restaurants and takeaways in Gaborone, Mogoditshane, Francistown, Molepolole, Selebi-Phikwe and Maun offer both local and international dishes. There is no uniform national benchmark for meal or retail prices. In July 2026, annual inflation was 9.4%; food and non-alcoholic beverages contributed 1.0 percentage points. In June 2026, food and beverage imports amounted to 1,091.2 million pula. Food safety is governed, among other instruments, by the food control law of 1993 (Food Control Act), the food control regulations (Food Control Regulations) and the food safety alert and recall procedures (Food Safety Alerts & Recall Procedures). A food business operator (Food Business Operator), abbreviated FBO, includes businesses involved in production, processing, packaging, storage, transport, distribution, importing, catering and selling. Botswana's health ministry (Ministry of Health & Wellness) sets standards, assesses risks, conducts inspections and publishes alerts. District councils (District Councils) and town councils (Town Councils) are responsible, among other things, for trading licences and environmental health controls. In the event of bacterial or chemical contamination, health risks, foreign objects or an official recall, the affected business must stop processing, importing, manufacturing, distributing and selling the affected product. Returned goods must be refunded, and recall records must be kept for at least seven years. Fish is more important in Okavango, Chobe and Ngamiland than in many other parts of the country. The government plans aquaculture development zones (Aquaculture Development Zones) in Okavango, Chobe and SPEDU, as well as a small hatchery in Shakawe. A school-feeding project in Kgatleng is testing fish from local aquaculture. In 2024, local fish production was estimated at about 550 tonnes per year, while demand was around 5,000 tonnes. Smaller catches and overfishing are putting pressure on sustainability in the North-West and Chobe. Measures such as water-efficient and drought-resistant cultivation, water harvesting, cold chains, aquaculture and sustainable fishing are intended to improve supply and local value addition. Phane or mophane is collected seasonally after rainfall, with documented peaks around November and December and again in April. Collection is mainly informal; legality, access and sustainability depend on the particular location. Anyone operating a restaurant or takeaway needs a trading licence from the relevant district or town council, along with, among other documents, an environmental health report, a zoning or planning report and proof of the premises. The listed licensing service specifies five working days; fees may vary. The current local rule should be checked, particularly because the reviewed information lists takeaways as a citizen-restricted area. Technical support for aquaculture is available through the nearest District Animal Production Office (District Animal Production Office) to citizens, individual farmers, associations and registered businesses.
Food in Botswana
Botswana's food supply combines livestock farming, grain cultivation, fishing and extensive imports. Maize meal, wheat flour, sunflower oil, sugar, beef and milk are among the main available foods, while sorghum and millet are produced more locally. The food culture includes dishes such as seswaa, bogobe, phaleche, dikgobe, morogo and phane.
Tip
Plan your food costs in Botswana using real local prices, because import dependence, inflation and regional supply affect the burden. Use local grains, seasonal products and fish where they are available and legally and sustainably accessible, and treat food safety during purchasing, selling and recalls as a separate check.