08 Jan 2024

 As the rains fall and the days grow warmer, the people of northern Botswana eagerly await the appearance of the mophane worm.

This worm, a staple of the local diet, is nutritious and delicious, and it plays an important role in the culture and economy of the region.

But this year, something is different. The mophane worm population is down, and the people who rely on it for their subsistence and income are worried.

The story of Ms Kebareng Motonga of Woodland ward in Jamataka is a poignant example of the impact that the scarcity of the mophane worm is having on the people of northern Botswana.

Ms Motonga has relied on the worm for more than 10 years, and the worm’s scarcity is affecting her income and way of life.

“By this time I could have gathered ten 50kg bags of mophane worm ready to be sold to the local market or across the borders,” she said.

The uncertainty around the cause of the scarcity is worrisome, adding to the anxiety and frustration felt by Ms Motonga and others in her community.

Without the income she would normally make from harvesting the worm, Ms Motonga is struggling to support her family, including sending three of her five children to school.

“I have three school-going children that I have to buy school uniform and pay school fees for. Where will I get the money because the mophane worm has always been our source of income?” said Ms Motonga.

She said the situation was not only difficult for her, but also for the future of her children.

Without an education, they will have fewer opportunities in life, perpetuating the cycle of poverty.

Ms Motonga said during the time when the worm was abundant, she managed to build herself a house and buy a vehicle. 

Ms Seleteng Ntshekisang of Lekoba settlement near Mabesekwa points out that overharvesting and other environmental factors such as climate change, recent heatwaves, late rainfalls and drought may have contributed to the shortage of the mophane worm.

“It rained late last year and the butterfly that lays eggs on the mophane tree did its work. However, the hot sun during the summer month destroyed the eggs before they hatched, leading to a significant shortage of the worm,” she said.

She explained that this alone poised a complex problem, as it was difficult to control the weather or the behaviour of the butterfly.

Ms Ntshekisang, who has 14 children to look after, said she managed to raise them by selling the mophane worm for the past two decades. 

Meanwhile, Kgosi Mosalagae Galebonwe of Jamataka has an important perspective as he highlights the potential ripple effects of the mophane worm shortage.

He said the mophane harvest had always been the only source of livelihood for his people for the past years, especially since the village was faced with an acute shortage of employment, apart from the Ipelegeng programme which only hires a few individuals. 

He warned of the risk of increased livestock theft, and house break-ins, and called for his village to be designated as a Remote Area Dweller settlement to help mitigate the effects of the mophane worm shortage. 

He highlighted that this designation would not only save lives, but also have a lasting impact on the community’s future.  

Kgosi Galebonwe said out of the 1 600 residents of Jamataka, only a few have permanent jobs whilst the rest either depend on the Ipelegeng programme or ‘piece jobs’.

He suggested that government should introduce strict regulations around mophane harvesting, as the worm was a valuable resource that needed to be managed carefully. Ends