Droughts are becoming more frequent, prolonged, and unpredictable due to climate change, leading to severe consequences for agriculture, food security, water supply, livelihoods, and ecosystems. Traditional drought monitoring relies on manual reporting, outdated hydrological records, and limited local observations -- resulting in delayed response, insufficient preparedness, and ineffective water management. To address this growing crisis, the project "Smart Water Mapping for Drought Monitoring" aims to develop a real-time, data-driven, community-inclusive drought surveillance system using remote sensing, GIS mapping, IoT-enabled sensors, and predictive analytics.
The project will create Smart Water Maps integrating data from groundwater sensors, rainfall trackers, soil-moisture meters, satellite imagery, and community mobile reporting. This platform will identify early drought signals, monitor water availability, track reservoir levels, and predict risk zones. The project also includes extensive training for farmers, local governance bodies, water managers, and vulnerable communities to use these tools for adaptive planning.
Implemented over three years, the project targets drought-prone rural districts, benefiting farmers, women-led households, water-user groups, and local administrations by providing timely alerts, scientific data, and actionable drought-response strategies.
The project will follow an integrated, data-driven, community-centered approach.
As climate change intensifies, drought threatens global food security, water stability, and rural livelihoods. Communities must transition from reactive crisis management to proactive, data-driven drought resilience. The "Smart Water Mapping for Drought Monitoring" project offers a transformative solution by combining modern technology -- IoT sensors, GIS mapping, remote sensing, and predictive analytics -- with strong community participation and local governance support. This project will empower vulnerable regions with real-time drought intelligence, enable farmers to make informed water-management decisions, and support governments in developing sustainable drought-response strategies. By bridging scientific data with rural accessibility, this initiative has the potential to reduce economic losses, strengthen adaptation capacity, and build climate-resilient communities for generations to come.