Drought policy, monitoring and management in arid lands

Climate variability is a feature of many arid and semi-arid lands, though o nly the most protracted periods without rain can correctly be described as droughts. Protracted droughts lead to pressure being pur on vegetation and soils through over-stocking, and on governments to provide food or financia l assistance. This paper discusses the evolution of drought policy in Austr alia and southern Africa, highlighting how people in these areas can become more self-reliant through being proactive rather than reactive in coping w ith drought. The importance of protecting the natural resource base is also emphasized, so that it can be productive in future years. However, an esse ntial prerequisite to achieving increased self-reliance and to reduce the i mpact of drought is to put a national drought policy in place, and provide the necessary research and education infrastructure so that farmers, agri-b usiness and rural communities can better anticipate acid cope with droughts .