Resource detail

Title: National Drought Management Policy Guidelines: A Template for Action
Organization:World Meteorological Organization and Global Water Partnership
Year:2014

The implementation of a drought policy based on the philosophy of risk reduction can alter a nation's approach to drought management by reducing the associated impacts (risk). Today, the occurrence of drought is also associated with significant impacts in the energy, transportation, health, recreation/ tourism and other sectors. Equally important is the direct impact of water shortages on water, energy and food security. One of the primary goals of the guidelines presented in this document is to provide a template in order to make the development of national drought policies and associated preparedness plans at the sub-national level less daunting. The following 10 steps provide an outline of the process
for policy and preparedness planning. (1) Appoint a national drought management policy commission.
(2) State or define the goals and objectives of a risk-based national drought management policy. (3) Seek stakeholder participation; define and resolve conflicts between key water use sectors, considering also transboundary implications. (4) Inventory data and financial resources available and identify groups at risk. (5) Prepare/write the key tenets of the national drought management policy
and preparedness plans. (6) Identify research needs and fill institutional gaps. (7) Integrate science and policy aspects of drought management. (8) Publicize the national drought management policy and preparedness plans and build public awareness and consensus. (9) Develop education programmes for all age and stakeholder groups. (1) Evaluate and revise national drought management policy and supporting preparedness plans.

The intent of the policy development and planning process described in this report is to provide a set of generic steps or guidelines that nations can use to develop the overarching principles of a national drought policy aimed at risk reduction.




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