The impact of drought in agriculture is one of the most complex natural hazards to predict and mitigate. It carries a constant risk for most smallholder farmers around the world.

According to studies conducted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 83% of all damages and losses caused globally by drought between 2006 and 2016 have been absorbed by agriculture, putting a good part of the world population at risk of food insecurity.

The guide aims to guide governments and other relevant actors in the development of early warning - early actions on agricultural drought plans that must be implemented before a drought event has significant impacts and causes damages and losses that could eventually become a disaster.

The manual complements other instruments used at global and local levels to develop EWEA on agricultural and response plans related to drought.