Everyone is prepared for drought

Drought can cause severe water and food shortages, impact the health of the population, and have socioeconomic and political consequences. However, many drought-affected countries do not yet have national drought policies or existing policies may need to be updated.

Countries need further assistance in enacting policies that incorporate the three pillars of integrated drought management (monitoring and early warning systems, risk and impact assessments, and mitigation, preparedness, and response measures). 

The second of the eight long-term ambitions on water aims at ensuring that everyone on Earth is prepared for drought, as foreseen in the WMO Vision and Strategy on Hydrology.

The Integrated Drought Management Programme (IDMP) is a central initiative aimed at building partnerships and enhancing skills to manage droughts effectively. In the context of hydrology, it focuses on understanding how to mitigate droughts using reservoir operations, natural systems, and water use and conservation at local, national, and regional levels. IDMP is supported by tools for predicting climate and water conditions, water resources management, the Global Hydrological Status and Outlook System (HydroSOS) and Regional Hydrological and Climate Centres.