Understanding and reducing drought risk: Examples from South Africa and Ukraine

Drought is the most relevant hazard in South Africa and Ukraine in terms of economic losses, and its impacts depend on the exposure and vulnerability of the agricultural system, not just rainfall or soil moisture deficits. This policy report illustrates how considering vulnerability in drought risk assessments can complement existing drought monitoring systems and ultimately benefit the planning and decision-making process.

The authors present an indicator-based assessment of agricultural drought risk in South Africa and Ukraine. The assessment provides an opportunity to define entry points for the identification of targeted response measures for both the reduction of drought impacts and the planning of preventive risk reduction measures. The authors affirm that integrating information on exposure and vulnerability into the current drought monitoring systems in South Africa and Ukraine is in line with the Sendai Framework, as this integration provides the basis for understanding drought risk and supporting activities towards drought risk reduction