Concept

Drought is a complex and slow-onset natural hazard that can have severe impacts on agriculture, water supply, ecosystems, and economies. Drought early warning is a key component of risk mitigation and plays a vital role in enhancing preparedness for potential impacts. Drought Early Warning Systems (DEWS) typically integrate data from various sources—including satellite observations, climate forecasts, hydrological models, and field measurements—to provide timely and actionable warnings.

FutureWater’s approach to drought early warning is based on a multi-layered framework that includes:

  • Monitoring: Extracting indicators from near-real-time satellite data, hybrid sources, and reanalysis datasets (e.g., rainfall and vegetation health anomalies, climate oscillation indices, river streamflows, and changes in groundwater and lake/reservoir levels) to detect early signs of drought and track its progression across landscapes.
  • Modeling: Using hydrological and agro-climatic models to simulate critical variables such as soil moisture, crop stress, and water availability.
  • Forecasting: Integrating weather forecasts with advanced statistical methods to anticipate drought onset and impacts on seasonal and longer timescales.
  • Risk Assessment: Evaluating the potential consequences of drought for ecosystems, and for water and food security in human systems.
  • Communication: Delivering user-specific, actionable insights—such as warnings and alerts—through intuitive maps and user-friendly dashboards that support effective and timely decision-making.

This integrated approach empowers stakeholders—from farmers to policymakers—to make informed, proactive decisions in response to increasing drought risks.

FutureWater applications

FutureWater develops and implements drought early warning systems tailored to specific local conditions and user requirements. We have successfully applied our solutions across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Our systems are adaptable to diverse climate zones, data availability, and institutional settings.

All of FutureWater’s drought-related expertise is embedded in our in-house platform InfoSequia—a fully operational system for monitoring droughts and forecasting their potential impacts. InfoSequia demonstrates how a well co-designed, data-driven approach can support early action and effective drought risk reduction.

In addition to InfoSequia, FutureWater assists governments, water managers, and development organizations with:

  • Developing customized drought monitoring tools
  • Integrating early warning systems into agricultural advisory services
  • Supporting national drought policy development and resilience strategies
  • Providing training and capacity building in drought risk management

FutureWater offers the expertise and tools needed to build effective, science-based early warning and forecasting systems that promote sustainable water and agricultural management under drought conditions.

Our In-House Tools & Services


InfoSequia: Drought Monitoring and Forecasting

InfoSequia is a powerful tool for proactive drought monitoring and forecasting. By integrating satellite data, machine learning, and real-time analytics, it delivers precise, impact-based insights to help decision-makers mitigate water scarcity and agricultural risks effectively.

 

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