The State of Poverty in Botswana: An Analysis of Poverty Alleviation Policies and Strategies

Abstract

Prior to gaining independence in 1966, Botswana was one of the poorest countries in the world and is today one of the fastest growing economies globally. The country is renowned for its mineral led economy producing primarily high value diamonds. Its diverse landscape and unique wildlife earned the country international recognition and thus is now, a prime tourist destination. Notwithstanding, there is still an enormous degree of economic disparity in Botswana's population. In the year 2020, the country's Gini-coefficient was at 53.3 placing it among the top 10 countries with the most unequal distributions of wealth. Like most countries in Africa, Botswana implements anti-poverty policies and strategies however the implementation and outcomes of the same requires evaluation. In this regard, this paper explores the efficiency of Botswana's anti-poverty policies and strategies linking the same to job creation. The study applies chiefly Bradshaw's theories of poverty to analyze the state of poverty in Botswana. The methodology adopted includes a qualitative approach and a case study strategy with Botswana as a unit of analysis. The underlying philosophy for this paper is phenomenology. Findings indicate that Botswana's poverty alleviation policies and strategies have contributed to reduce the level of poverty from independence to date. Nevertheless, in the effort to reduce poverty, these policies and strategies continue to face challenges that negatively affect the effective implementation of the policies and strategies. To this end, this paper discusses the extent to which these policies and strategies have been effective in alleviating poverty in Botswana amidst the ever pertinent question of unemployment.