abstract
drought is a normal recurring feature of climate; it occurs in virtually all climatic
regimes. it is the consequence of a natural reduction in the amount of precipitation
received over an extended period usually a season or more in length. the effects of
drought accumulate slowly and its impacts are spread over a larger geographical area
than are damages that result from other natural hazards. most of the policy responses
to drought tend to address the immediate needs to provide what are often more costly
remedies and to attempt to balance competing interests in a charged atmosphere.
there is an urgent need to replace this approach of crisis management with a more
pro-active approach of risk management which emphasizes preparedness mitigation
prediction and early warning. the different steps in drought preparedness are
illustrated with examples from the united states. effective drought management
emphasizes three components: monitoring and early warning risk and impact
assessment and mitigation and response. steps in establishing the viability of a
drought monitoring system are described. seasonal fores are also useful in
identifying current and future trends in these conditions. the recent improvement in
seasonal fore skills provide an important tool in support of effective drought
management. an equally important element of drought early warning systems is the
timely and effective delivery of this information to decision makers. there are
several essential components of a drought information system which include
information on the timing intensity and duration of droughts. different ways of
providing information on drought intensity are described including the use of various
drought indices. common types of drought impacts are the result of exposure to
drought hazards and are a combination of economic social and environmental factors.
to reduce vulnerability to drought it is essential to identify relevant impacts and
assess their underlying causes. it is important that governments develop and adopt
national drought policies that move them towards a strategy to mitigate the impacts
of drought improve public awareness and achieve the needed partnerships for better
coordination and response to drought.