Drought Working Group Launched

EOTEC DevNet Drought Working Group held a kick-off meeting on September 27, 2023 to discuss challenges and opportunities for capacity building in drought management. The inaugural meeting marked a significant milestone, drawing participation from over 40 experts and stakeholders, and underscored the urgent need for coordinated efforts.

Key takeaways:

• Keynote speakers Valentin Aich and Sabina Bokal from the Global Water Partnership’s Integrated Drought Management Programme (IDMP) emphasized the need for a holistic approach that integrates EO data, policy frameworks, and community engagement. They also noted the availability of funding for capacity building through the Green Climate Fund. See the recording of the presentation below.
• EOTEC DevNet Secretariat highlighted the outcomes of global consultations on drought-related capacity building, stressing the need for tailored capacity building and coordination. EOTEC DevNet’s proposed drought strategy includes a Drought Tools Tracker and a web platform for knowledge and resources sharing.
• Discussion points: Various participants discussed the need for tool assessments (opt for integration approach), flexible training approaches, and the importance of accessing funding for capacity building.

Next steps:
Participants and others:

1. Contribute to Drought Tools Tracker: Add to the Drought Tools Matrix by providing relevant resources or tools you find relevant to drought management. Your contributions will enrich our collective knowledge base.
2. Engage in Collaboration Outreach: Share information about our Drought Working Group with your networks and identify potential partners. Reach out to existing initiatives in drought management to explore opportunities for collaboration.
3. Become an Active Member of EOTEC DevNet: If you have not already, please sign up for the EOTEC DevNet Community to stay updated on our activities and opportunities for engagement.
4. Refine Our Strategy: If you have not yet completed the follow-up survey, please do so as soon as possible. Your feedback is crucial for finalizing our group’s strategy for drought-related capacity building.

The EOTEC DevNet Secretariat: 

5. Organize regional Droughts Working Groups: These groups will meet two times per year to share information and trade experience.
6. Organize a Volunteer Tracker Team: webinar This cross-regional team of CoP volunteers will lead the creation of the Drought Tracker.
7. Coordinate with IDMP and UNCCD: The Secretariat will explore synergies and potential collaborations with these organizations, especially concerning access to the Green Climate Fund and leveraging each other’s platforms for drought-related resources and opportunities.

Presentation by Valentin Aich, Senior Water and Climate Specialist at Global Water Partnership

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Additional resources

• Meeting slides
• Keynote presentation (recording)
• Meeting notes
• Information on Green Climate Fund
• Integrated Drought Management: Monitoring and Early Warning (self-paced online course in English and French)
• IWRM Action Hub