Drought is a global problem that affects an estimated 1.5 billion people, in particular, households that rely on climate-sensitive livelihoods such as agriculture production and livestock rearing. For instance, drought can trigger widespread vegetation shifts as woody plants die off and are replaced with unpalatable grass species. This affects the availability of quality livestock forage with a resultant effect on livestock health. By disturbing hydrological connectivity and reducing water flow, drought also affects agricultural productivity, thus worsening food insecurity.
Droughts can have different causes, including low rainfall. Drought is often treated as a natural occurrence; however droughts may occur even in years of normal precipitation. This highlights the human causes of drought due to mismanagement of natural resources.
