Evidence-Based Drought Resilience in the Horn of Africa
EO data was used by the World Bank, supported through the ESA GDA Fast EO Co-Financing Facility (FFF), to strengthen drought monitoring and risk financing in the Horn of Africa by improving how drought severity and impacts are measured and used for decision-making.
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Description
The World Bank, supported through the ESA Global Development Assistance (GDA) Fast EO Co-Financing Facility (FFF), used Earth Observation data to strengthen drought resilience and improve risk financing through the Next Generation Drought Index (NGDI) system in the Horn of Africa.
The region experienced one of its worst droughts in 70 years between 2020 and 2023, highlighting the need for better early warning and more reliable data to support timely action and financial response mechanisms such as insurance and contingency funds. In response, the NGDI platform was developed by the World Bank and ESA to combine satellite data and risk modelling into a consistent, transparent framework that can detect drought conditions months in advance.
Through the GDA FFF, the system was upgraded with improved satellite data processing, including higher-resolution vegetation monitoring, harmonised long-term drought records, and new tools that link drought severity to population and land exposure. These improvements ensure more accurate and actionable drought information for governments, insurers, and development practitioners.
Read more about this Case Study here: A new evidence-based system to strengthen drought resilience in the Horn of Africa