ASEAN regional plan of action for adaptation to drought 2021-2025

Drought frequency, severity, and magnitude have increased in South-East Asia, particularly over the past two decades. Prolonged and severe drought adversely impact agricultural productivity, threatening food security and livelihood of rural households and poor communities. The impact of drought is not limited to water consumption for agricultural purposes but also affects domestic and industrial water consumption, with critical long-term implications on the people and the environment of the region in the social, economic, and environmental aspects such as poverty, agriculture, food security, human development outcomes, ecological integrity (e.g., environmental quality and natural resources, energy, and other economic sectors such as tourism. The ASEAN Regional Plan of Action for Adaptation to Drought (ARPA-AD) aims to enhance coordination at the regional and national (international) level for achieving sustainable management of drought by considering the impact of drought on the livelihood of people, natural resources and ecosystem, agriculture, energy, and sustainable socio-economic development.