Date of this Version Effective drought early warning systems are
an integral part of efforts worldwide to improve drought
preparedness. Timely and reliable data and information must be
the cornerstone of effective drought policies and plans. In
pursuit of the goal of improving the effectiveness of drought
early warning systems, participants of the experts meeting were
asked to address three fundamental questions: 1. What is your
assessment of the current status of drought early warning
systems? 2. What are the shortcomings, limitations, and needs
for drought early warning systems? 3. How can drought early
warning systems be improved to better support drought
preparedness and mitigation efforts at the local, national, and
international level? Participants identified the primary users
of data and information derived from drought early warning
systems as a first step in evaluating the status of early
warning systems. Users were diverse, including government
agencies, farmers, extension services, insurance compan