ABSTRACT
Widespread poverty, high reliance on natural resources and low adaptive capacity contribute to conditions of high vulnerability to climate variability and climate change in developing countries such as Botswana (Kates, 2000; Desanker and Magadza, 2001; Mirza, 2003; Dube and Moswete, 2003). Lack of choice to meet basic needs such as nutrition, shelter and clothing at the household and individual levels in Botswana is attributed to income poverty and capability poverty (Jefferies, 1997). Income poverty is the inability to command the level of income or tangible resources needed to meet basic needs, while capability poverty involves the lack of human capabilities or intangible resources such as education and good health that enables one to escape poverty (Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, 1998). Both income poverty and capability poverty undermine the capacity to adapt to environmental and non-environmental stresses in Botswana.
