Changer: Safflower Production Scales Up to Boost Food Security and Smallholder Farmers
Botswana is promoting safflower as a climate-resilient crop to improve food security and provide economic opportunities for smallholder farmers. The crop's ability to thrive in arid conditions makes it a strategic asset against the backdrop of intensifying climate change in Southern Africa.
Why it matters
Diversifying agricultural output with drought-resistant crops is essential for regional food stability and economic resilience in Southern Africa.
By Nevison Mpofu GABORONE, Botswana — Once overlooked by many farmers, safflower is emerging as a potentially transformative crop in Botswana, offering small-scale producers a climate-resilient pathway to improved food security, income generation and agro-industrial development. In a country characterised by arid and semi-arid conditions, the oilseed crop is attracting growing interest because of its resilience to harsh weather, nutritional value and wide range of industrial applications. As climate change intensifies droughts and makes rainfall increasingly unpredictable across Southern Africa, safflower is being promoted as one of the crops that could help farmers adapt while strengthening local food production.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in