28 May 2014: The Integrated Drought Management Programme (IDMP), a joint Global Water Partnership (GWP) and World Meteorological Organization (WMO) project, has released a publication titled ‘National Drought Management Policy Guidelines: A Template for Action.’ The guidelines provide a 10-step process for policymakers to design drought management, preparedness and mitigation plans.

The 10 steps elaborated in the guide are: appoint a national drought management policy commission; state or define the goals and objectives of a risk-based national drought management policy; seek stakeholder participation and define and resolve conflicts between key water use sectors; inventory available data and financial resources and identify groups at risk; write the key tenets of the national drought management policy and preparedness plans; identify research needs and fill institutional gaps; integrate science and policy aspects of drought management; publicize the national drought management policy and preparedness plans and build public awareness and consensus; develop educational programmes for all age and stakeholder groups; and evaluate and revise national drought management policy and supporting preparedness plans.

This process is meant to be flexible to allow for national circumstances, such as institutional, legal, socio-economic and environmental factors, according to GWP. Case studies from Mexico, the US, Morocco and Brazil illustrate examples of national programme implementation, cases where government has been ill-prepared and successful instances of integrated drought management.

GWP and WMO established IDMP in March 2013, with the goal of supporting stakeholders with policy guidance, coordinating scientific research and facilitating sharing of best practices. IDMP plans to continually update the ‘National Drought Management Policy Guidelines’ to reflect learning as the process is applied by governments. [GWP Press Release] [Publication: National Drought Management Policy Guidelines: A Template for Action]