Effectiveness of Drought Indices in the Assessment of Different Types of Droughts, Managing and Mitigating Their Effects

Abstract

Droughts are the most destructive catastrophes in the world. The persistence of drought is considered to cause many challenges for both humans and animals and ruins the ecosystem. These challenges have encouraged scientists to search for innovative methods and models that are effective for assessing and predicting drought events. The use of drought indices has been extensively employed in many regions across the globe and their effectiveness demonstrated. This review illustrates the effectiveness of drought indices in the assessment of droughts, with a focus on drought management and mitigation measures. Additionally, several ways of managing drought risk and proactive strategies that need to be implemented to mitigate droughts have been illustrated. In conclusion, this article suggests that drought mitigation should be done more naturally, in ways that strongly protect the environment rather than involve engineering projects which might cause the degradation of rivers and land, and damage the ecosystem.

Drought resistance index screening and evaluation of lettuce under water deficit conditions on the basis of morphological and physiological differences

“…Previous studies have often focused on specific aspects such as morphology, photosynthesis, or physiology to assess drought tolerance. However, it is crucial to consider indicators related to both yield and morphological characteristics to comprehensively evaluate drought tolerance ( Dolferus, 2014 ; Ndayiragije and Li, 2022 ). In evaluating drought tolerance in cotton, morphological and yield indicators have been commonly used ( Sun et al., 2021 ).…”

Reconstruction of July-September standardized precipitation-evapotranspiration index (SPEI) for the Hindu Kush region of Northern Pakistan

“…This information helps unravel the intricate interactions between climate and trees. It also has practical applications in decision-making, land-use planning, and water resource strategies, assisting in adaptive measures to mitigate the impacts of changing climate on regional ecosystems e. g., [64,65].…”

A comparative analysis of drought indices in evaluating climate change impacts on agriculture in Southern Italy

“…Drought is a climatic phenomenon characterised by an extended period of significantly below-average precipitation, leading to a considerable reduction in water reserves, including rivers, lakes, and aquifers (Ndayiragije and Li 2022). This event has a substantial impact on various key sectors, such as agriculture, water resources, energy, biodiversity, public health, economy, and the environment (Tigkas et al 2019).…”

“…This situation places economic pressures on rural communities, heavily dependent on agricultural activities, and potentially increases their reliance on food imports, with significant implications for self-sufficiency and the resilience of the territories themselves (Ingrao et al 2023). In recent years, drought is closely linked to the intensifying climate change, whose consequences are represented by heightened precipitation variability (Ndayiragije and Li 2022). Analysis of historical precipitation data over the years has revealed an escalation in both the frequency and intensity of droughts in many parts of the world (Asia, Africa, Australia, and the Americas), indicating a concerning trend (Cook et al 2007; Kauffman and Vonck 2011;Shiru et al 2010;Kamali et al 2022;Guo et al 2018;Kirono et al 2020;Hansel et al 2019).…”