National Drought Plan in Azerbaijan.

The National Drought Plan of Azerbaijan lays down actions to cope with meteorological, hydrological, agricultural and socio-economic drought. The goal of the Drought Management Plan (DMP) is to facilitate overall management of drought in a structured and planned manner with the most efficient and optimum utilization of time, effort and resources so that adverse impact on the community is minimized. The DMP delineates the roles and responsibilities of the Government, different Ministries of Azerbaijan and specialized institutions and organizations engaged in the management of water and environmental resources for mitigation, preparedness and for relief measures in managing the drought. It will be aligned broadly with the goals and priorities set out in the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and will be updated periodically according to the latest developments.
The key elements of the DMP framework are: (i) drought indicators and thresholds for drought classification and the drought early warning system; (ii) measures to achieve specific objectives in each drought stage; (iii) the organizational framework to manage drought. Drought monitoring forecast will be conducted and the severity of drought will be evaluated in different sectors. This Plan addresses the risk and impacts of drought on food production. An early warning system based on appropriate indicators and thresholds that classify drought stages according to drought intensity and impact severity will be established. An agricultural drought monitoring methods will be developed by using remote sensing data for the appropriate early warning of droughts before irreversible crop yield loss and/or quality degradation occur. A national drought indicator system will be established for the identification and evaluation of drought conditions and the quantification of drought impacts.
Natural (hazard) and social (vulnerability) factors will be considered during drought management for an effective risk management. A risk management approach focuses on predisaster activities predicting hazard and vulnerability of drought for preparedness and mitigation measures. A drought communications system will be established between the state and local governments and water systems. A statewide water conservation program will be implemented to encourage local and regional conservation measures. Guidance will be provided to the local governments and water supply providers on long-term water supply, conservation and drought contingency planning to achieve an overall reduction in water usage and the optimal use of available supply. Water reuse will be promoted as opposed to additional withdrawals of raw water. Farmers will be encouraged to attend classes in best management practices and conservation irrigation, prior to (a) receiving a permit, (b) using a new irrigation system, or (c) irrigating for a coming announced drought season. The use of more drought resistant crops will be promoted, subject to market conditions. The use of innovative cultivation techniques will be promoted to reduce the amount of water needed or lost during summer. Regular irrigation system efficiency audits will be conducted and older systems will be retrofitted with newer and better irrigation technology. The legal frameworks will be strengthened to enhance the ability of farmers to secure adequate water supplies during drought conditions, such as establishing low interest loan program for the construction of on-farm off-stream storage facilities. The impacts of water withdrawals on flow regimes and wastewater discharges on water quality during drought will be evaluated. Drought response actions will also include outdoor watering reduction schedule.
The DMP addresses economic, environmental and social impacts of drought on the agriculture, land, forestry, fisheries, energy, tourism, industry sectors as well as on water quality, public health, ecosystems, wetlands, and biodiversity. It sets out preventive or strategic measures to increase resistance to drought and mitigate potential drought risk and impacts on the economy, society, and environment. An appropriate organization will be established to ensure the production and implementation of the DMP and the enforcement of programmes of operational measures to be applied when droughts occur, during pre-alert and emergency status. Public awareness will be raised on water conservation, and public participation and the active involvement of interested parties will be encouraged in the production, implementation, and updating of the DMP. A national scientific and research programme will be developed by the Drought Autority to contribute to a better understanding of drought, its impacts, and mitigation alternatives. A water scarcity plan wil be developed to manage water resources in dry periods; ensure the sustainable use of water, land, fisheries and forestry resources; strengthen flood risk management; maximize the benefits of healthy water environment for people and businesses; and to improve the resilience to climate change and conserve biodiversity.