ALMATY, KAZAKHSTAN – 19-20 October 2023 CAREC representatives participated in a regional workshop on co-design of the global, early drought forecasting system in different hydrological sectors, of the OUTLAST research project.
The event was held in accordance with the new Central Asia Development Strategy 2020, which aims to strengthen cross-border dialogue on climate, environment and security issues between the five Central Asian countries.
Supported by the Kazakh-German University and the UNESCO Regional Office, the event brought together the representatives from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan to exchange information on their respective drought management and monitoring initiatives. Throughout the seminar, attendees shared their experiences, deliberated on the optimization of drought risk indicators, and discussed strategies for disseminating information via the portal to users worldwide.
Background information
OUTLAST (development of an Operational, mUlTi-sectoral globaL drought hAzard forecasting SysTem) is a research project to establish and implement the first worldwide, multi-sectoral, and operational drought forecasting system for quantifying drought hazard in different hydrological sectors (water supply, riverine and non-agricultural land ecosystems, rainfed and irrigated agricultural land). Near real-time monitoring and monthly drought forecasts for the next 6 months will be rapidly updated and made freely available on the WMO HydroSOS portal.
The project’s Drought Early Warning System is designed to meet the needs of stakeholders and policy makers from different sectors around the world, so collaboration with end-users in the pilot regions plays an important role in OUTLAST’s so-called co-design process.
Additional information: Ludmila Kiktenko, Environmental Management Programme’s Manager, CAREC, lkiktenko@carececo.org
