USAID MENA Regional Drought Management
Collaborator(s): Mark Svoboda, Deb Bathke, Nick Brozovic, Mike Hayes, Thresea Judd, Cody Knutson, Christopher Neale
The MENA drought project, a joint effort from the National Drought Mitigation Center (NDMC), the Robert B. Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute (DWFI), and led by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), aims to empower decision makers in the Middle East and North Africa to plan for and manage the effects of droughts on food and water security under current and future climate conditions. The first stage of the project was assessment of needs and gaps in drought monitoring and management in the region and development of a regional Composite Drought Index monitoring tool. The second stage included assessments for Morocco, Tunisia, Jordan and Lebanon.
The project’s expected outcomes are as follows:
- Enhanced in-country capacity to develop and use drought monitoring/early warning systems
- Improved leadership, risk planning and drought management in MENA governments, based on informed analysis and participatory planning
- Strengthened capacity among water and agricultural managers to provide drought-affected communities with guidance and training in resilient agricultural practices
- Enhanced awareness and capacity at the national and regional levels to manage drought impacts through proactive planning and effective implementation of resilient management technologies and practices
