Tunisia joins Morocco, Lebanon, and Jordan in using state-of-the-art drought management technology

Drought-monitoring technology that is currently being embedded in water and agricultural ministries in Jordan, Lebanon, and Morocco will now be implemented in Tunisia. The satellite-based enhanced composite drought index (eCDI) supports effective drought management by enabling authorities to identify, early on, the presence and evolution of drought. The technology was developed by IWMI and partners as part of the USAID-funded MENAdrought project. The team is now supporting the Government of Tunisia to implement the eCDI, along with seasonal rainfall forecasting technology, as part of a new initiative focused on strengthening the resilience of North African countries to the Water-Climate Change-Migration Nexus, with funding from the Center for Mediterranean Integration and the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Drought is an ever-present danger in countries of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Although droughts are cyclical, natural hazards, their severity and ability to cause extensive loss and damage are increasing due to climate change. According to the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, there were 338 disasters caused by drought between 2000–2019 globally, compared to 263 between 1980–1999. A semi-arid country, Tunisia has already experienced a decrease in rainfall of 3% over the past 30 years, during which time the average temperature has risen by 0.37°C per decade. With continued climate shifts forecast to reduce crop yields, having the capacity to identify droughts early on could help to underpin livelihoods and food security.