Droughts

Dried Cracked earth is visible as a result of declining water levels in Belkas 260 Km the northeast of the Capital Cairo in June 10, 2008.this farm was seen in an area that was until recently underwater and used in agriculture .
Photo credit: Hossam el Hamalaway on Flickr

In a recent study of mortality due to extreme weather events, droughts were found to be responsible for more deaths than any other single entity (58%). Droughts have also been blamed for increasing global rates of soil degradation, deforestation and human migration.

Sophisticated surveillance and monitoring tools now enable scientists to predict drought-related food insecurity with increasing accuracy. Policy response, however, all too often lags behind, leading to disastrous famines.

From a water management perspective, many simple solutions are available to help build community resilience to drought. Improved water storage, enhanced water productivity, and recycling and reuse of wastewater can all play a role.