Training Resource Description
Drought monitoring is a critical component of environmental management and disaster preparedness, especially in regions where agriculture is a primary source of livelihood. Droughts can have severe impacts on water resources, crop yields, and overall ecosystem health. Traditional methods of drought monitoring, which rely heavily on ground-based observations, can be limited by sparse data and delayed reporting. Earth observation (EO) offers a powerful solution to these challenges by providing timely, accurate, and comprehensive data on a global scale.
Satellites equipped with various sensors can measure parameters that are crucial for drought monitoring, such as soil moisture, vegetation health, precipitation, and surface temperature.
Several EO-based drought indices are used, with the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) being the most common. Other indices include the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Vegetation Condition Index (VCI), and Temperature Condition Index (TCI). These indices help in monitoring vegetation health and stress, which are critical indicators of drought impact.
Different indices provide different insights: rainfall-based indices (e.g., SPI) are more hazard-focused, indicating potential drought conditions, while vegetation indices (e.g., VCI) reflect actual impacts on the ground. It’s important to understand which aspect of drought is being monitored and to choose the appropriate indices accordingly.