Early Warning Systems for Drought Preparedness and Drought Management

Effective drought early warning systems are an integral part of efforts worldwide to improve drought preparedness. Timely and reliable data and information must be the cornerstone of effective drought policies and plans. In pursuit of the goal of improving the effectiveness of drought early warning systems, participants of the experts meeting were asked to address three fundamental questions: 1. What is your assessment of the current status of drought early warning systems? 2. What are the shortcomings, limitations, and needs for drought early warning systems? 3. How can drought early warning systems be improved to better support drought preparedness and mitigation efforts at the local, national, and international level?