A poverty profile for rural Botswana

Abstract Recognizing that for policy purposes it is important to learn in what ways households that are poor differ from households that have a more adequate income and recognizing that these differences may be cause or consequence of low economic status, this paper compiles a ‘poverty profile’ of rural Botswana. The data are taken from the Rural Income Distribution Survey conducted in 1975 by the Central Statistical Office of the Government of Botswana - a sample of 950 randomly selected households in 20 rural areas. The survey data enable the authors to determine how close each household comes to meeting its basic requirements. The paper begins by explaining the derivation of ‘poverty income ratios’; it then relates the PIRs to the demographic characteristics of households, their education, location and asset holdings. There follows a description of differences in time use and sources of income among the five poverty ratio groups. The authors conclude with a discussion of the implications for policies aimed at the alleviation of poverty.