By Giriraj Amarnath and Carolyn Fry
Historically, the agriculture and disaster-management sectors have acted independently. The farming industry has overseen the welfare of smallholders, with disaster management organisations only becoming involved when destructive events demand rescue and rehabilitation efforts.
However, such siloed and reactive approaches are out of step with the modern world.
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Experts estimate that the agriculture sector absorbs 22 per cent of damage from natural disasters in developing nations. The impacts can include damage to irrigation infrastructure, from major canals to farmers’ ponds and wells; pollution of water resources; soil erosion; and reduced yields.
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Every eight days, [the International Water Management Institute (IWMI)] produces detailed drought severity maps using satellite data, showing how drought is affecting agriculture across Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Governments can use them to identify priority areas requiring assistance.
Jointly with the UN World Food Programme, Water Land and Ecosystems or WLE and IWMI published the climate and food security monitoring bulletin for Sri Lanka to provide adaption measures, and preparedness for drought response interventions; including integrated drought resilience programmes to promote improved drought resilience strategies from climate shocks.
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