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The Integrated Drought Management Programme in the Horn of Africa

The Integrated Drought Management Program in the Horn of Africa (IDMP HOA) is a regional progamme with focus to promote drought resilience of countries, communities and ecosystems in the region. The program is being implemented in eight countries including Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda. The IDMP HOA is coordinated by the Global Water Partnership Eastern Africa (GWPEA).

The Integrated Drought Management Programme in the Horn of Africa

The Horn of Africa region is greatly affected by drought causing significant reduction of agricultural production, death of domestic animals and human suffering. For example, according the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, 2011, the human population affected by drought in the past 10 years was over 13 million people. Despite the drought and its consequences, degradation of the rich environmental and natural resource endowment continues unabated, largely due to increased human population, inadequate institutional and legal frameworks for resource allocation, civil wars and high poverty levels in the region. Efforts to combat drought in the region has focused on emergency/crisis responses which tend to be unsustainable. The IDMP HOA implementation approach is to shift from the reactive crisis management response to a more proactive approach to drought management, applying the principles of integrated water resource and risk management.

The objective of the IDMP HOA is to promote drought resilience of communities in the region. This is to be achieved through implementation of four components which include:
  1. Influencing national policies and strategies in the region;
  2. Support innovative drought related approaches and practices;
  3. Facilitate capacity development and knowledge/awareness creation;
  4. Building partnership and and fostering collaboration with key strategic partners.
The rationale for implementing IDMP HOA is that:
  • It’s a facility in partnership with other drought initiatives in the region to support countries in practical development and implementation of national drought policies, plans and strategies. This is done with the help of Country Water Partnerships (CWP). CWPs are neutral, multi-stakeholder platforms for dialogue and facilitating change processes, facilitating the implementation of the principles of IWRM instrumental in contributing to countries preparedness to drought. The CWP bring together Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies, Civil Society, Private Companies, and Academia.
  • It’s a resource countries can tap into for technical support. The program is in the process of establishing held desk on drought management issues.
  • Support action and implementation of innovative drought initiatives on the ground, adding to already existing efforts.
  • The programme applies the principles of Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM), involving the GWP network at the country level (CWP) and thus, providing the fertile ground for other initiatives to take off.
The IDMP HOA programme operates within the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development Drought Disaster Resilience and Sustainability Initiative (IGAD IDDRSI) framework and collaborates with several partners in the region including IGAD, IGAD Climate Prediction and Application Centre (ICPAC), Nile Basin Initiative (NBI), International Network for Capacity Development in Sustainable Water Management (CAPNET) and International Water Association (IWA).
Upcoming events:
  1. Regional Training on Applying IWRM Tools for Drought Risk Management, 15th -19th June 2015, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia http://www.droughtmanagement.info/idmp-activities/idmp_hoa
  2. Training in International Water Law in Africa, 3-5 August, Kampala-Uganda http://www.gwp.org/gwp-in-action/News-and-Activities/Training-in-International-Water-Law-in-Africa/

Article contribution from:

Gerald Kairu

Regional Project Manager,

Integrated Drought Management Program in the Horn of Africa

Global Water Partnership Eastern Africa

C/o Nile Basin Secretariat

P.O Box 192 Entebbe, Uganda

Tel: +256 414 321424

Email: gkairu@nilebasi

www.gwpena.org