Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
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Adaptation strategies for coping with agricultural droughts must be based
on a better understanding of the climatic conditions of the location or re-
gion under consideration. As the United Nations' specialized agency with
responsibility for meteorology and operational hydrology, the World Me-
teorological Organization (WMO), since its inception, has been addressing
the issue of agricultural droughts. This chapter presents a short overview
of the various initiatives undertaken by WMO in this respect.
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W
MO's Activities in Support of the Combat against Drought
The fight against drought receives a high priority in the long-term plan
of WMO, particularly under the Agricultural Meteorology Programme,
the Hydrology and Water Resources Programme, and the Technical Co-
operation Programme. WMO actively involves the National Meteorologi-
cal and Hydrological Services (NMHSs), regional and subregional meteo-
rological centers, and other bodies in the improvement of hydrological and
meteorological networks for systematic observation, exchange and anal-
ysis of data for better monitoring of droughts, and use of medium- and
long-range weather forecasts, and assists in the transfer of knowledge and
technology. Following is a brief description of various activities undertaken
by WMO in the combat against drought.
R
esearch
WMO has been in the forefront of research on interactions of climate,
drought, and desertification from its beginnings in the mid-1970s, when it
was suggested that human activities in drylands could alter surface features
that would lead to an intensification of desertification processes and trends.
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