The publication “An Introduction to Integrated Drought Management (IDM)” was developed by the Regional Centre on Urban Water Management (RCUWM) – UNESCO under the International Drought Initiative (IDI).
It addresses drought and highlights how drought events have increased in severity and frequency, especially under the influence of climate change. Traditional reactive strategies for managing drought have proven costly and often ineffective, leading to significant economic, social, and environmental impacts in many countries, including Iran.
To overcome these challenges, the publication advocates for a proactive, risk-based approach to drought management, moving beyond crisis response to strategies that reduce risk and build resilience. This approach is embodied in the concept of Integrated Drought Management (IDM), developed under the global Integrated Drought Management Program (IDMP).
IDM combines multiple components such as drought monitoring and early warning systems, vulnerability and risk assessment, and risk mitigation and response planning.
This publication – available in Farsi – aims to support policy makers, water managers, and stakeholders by introducing a modern, integrated framework for managing drought more effectively.
The RCUWM has published two more books on drought management (in Farsi):
- ارزیابی مدیریت و ریسک خشکسالی
Drought Risk Assessment and Management - ارزیابی خطر و ریسک خشکسالی
Assessing Drought Hazard and Risk
More information on the series of publications.
The International Drought Initiative (IDI)
The International Drought Initiative (IDI) is a proposed global platform aimed at improving how the world anticipates, prepares for, manages, and adapts to droughts. It is designed to bring together governments, international organizations, scientific institutions, and non-governmental actors to coordinate efforts on drought risk management at regional and global levels.