State the reasons for the current drought in South Africa. Describe an improvement plan? A case study will be preferable. Solution South Africa is prone to drought. The country recently experienced the combined effects of a severe drought and a strong Elnino event, which led to serious impacts on livelihood conditions and economic growth. The main reasons for the current situation in South Africa are listed below : > Anthropogenic warming contributed to the southern African drought by increasing El Nino sea surface temperatures and local air temperatures, causing reduced rainfall and runoff. > Increase in Land and water temperatures as overall temperatures increase more water evaporates and severe weather conditions increase. > As many areas in South African region are growing rapidly, the demand for water exceeded the supply but weather conditions, temperatures or air patterns pushed the region towards drought. > As the exporting division became more improvised in the nation excessive irrigation takes place which is an excellence of people contributing to a drought. > Because of the timing of water doesn’t match the agricultural season, that leads to too much water when you don’t need it and too little when you do need it, so the drought. > If there is a continuous shortage of water feeding the reservoirs, this will inevitably lead to water shortages and thus drought. > Overdevelopment, population growth, and climate change upset the balance between water use and supply so finally they are leading to severe drought. IMPROVEMENT PLAN : Nothing but the heavy rains are the major boon that will help to improve current situations in the country rapidly but they are not in our hands, so some minor (when compared to rainfall) methods or steps are to be followed to improve the current situation which are listed below. 1. DROUGHT STATUS AND MONITORING Information on the status of current drought conditions, drought indices, fire conditions, and other drought monitoring resources, including data and Water Availability/ Impact Task Force reports. 2. DROUGHT PLANNING RESOURCES Introduction to local drought planning and step-by-step guidance for developing local municipal drought management plans. 3. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE Includes links to funding sources for the development of drought mitigation and response plans, as well as drought-related mitigation projects and relief during times of drought. 4. DROUGHT AND CLIMATE CHANGE Information on climate change and potential influences on drought. 5. GRADUAL CHANGE IN AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITIES Excessive irrigation has to be stopped, but should be in gradual manner. Crops which require much water should not be grown for some years. 6. LIMITING WATER USE Current water use and carry-over storage (for purposes of differentiating water users by amount of water used and stored) and implimenting limitations on water supply. 7. ARRANGEMENTS FOR UPCOMING WINTER RAINS As the winter rains in the country are approaching in .

1. State the reasons for the current drought in South Africa. Describe an improvement plan? A
case study will be preferable.
Solution
South Africa is prone to drought. The country recently experienced the combined effects of a
severe drought and a strong Elnino event, which led to serious impacts on livelihood conditions
and economic growth.
The main reasons for the current situation in South Africa are listed below :
> Anthropogenic warming contributed to the southern African drought by increasing El Nino sea
surface temperatures and local air temperatures, causing reduced rainfall and runoff.
> Increase in Land and water temperatures as overall temperatures increase more water
evaporates and severe weather conditions increase.
> As many areas in South African region are growing rapidly, the demand for water exceeded
the supply but weather conditions, temperatures or air patterns pushed the region towards
drought.
> As the exporting division became more improvised in the nation excessive irrigation takes
place which is an excellence of people contributing to a drought.
> Because of the timing of water doesn’t match the agricultural season, that leads to too much
water when you don’t need it and too little when you do need it, so the drought.
> If there is a continuous shortage of water feeding the reservoirs, this will inevitably lead to
water shortages and thus drought.
> Overdevelopment, population growth, and climate change upset the balance between water use
and supply so finally they are leading to severe drought.
IMPROVEMENT PLAN :
Nothing but the heavy rains are the major boon that will help to improve current situations in the
country rapidly but they are not in our hands, so some minor (when compared to rainfall)
methods or steps are to be followed to improve the current situation which are listed below.
1. DROUGHT STATUS AND MONITORING
Information on the status of current drought conditions, drought indices, fire conditions, and
other drought monitoring resources, including data and Water Availability/ Impact Task Force
reports.
2. DROUGHT PLANNING RESOURCES
Introduction to local drought planning and step-by-step guidance for developing local municipal
drought management plans.

2. 3. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
Includes links to funding sources for the development of drought mitigation and response plans,
as well as drought-related mitigation projects and relief during times of drought.
4. DROUGHT AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Information on climate change and potential influences on drought.
5. GRADUAL CHANGE IN AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITIES
Excessive irrigation has to be stopped, but should be in gradual manner. Crops which require
much water should not be grown for some years.
6. LIMITING WATER USE
Current water use and carry-over storage (for purposes of differentiating water users by amount
of water used and stored) and implimenting limitations on water supply.
7. ARRANGEMENTS FOR UPCOMING WINTER RAINS
As the winter rains in the country are approaching in two or three months, quick arrangements
are to be done by water conservation techniques, constructing water holding ponds, excavations
for reservoirs and etc, methods to be done to store water as much as possible as these measures
leads to increase in the ground water depths so that they will be helpful in needy.
CASE STUDY: A VILLAGE IN GUJARAT STATE IN INDIA
It is a general views that most of the drought prone areas are also the backward areas, as drought
restricts the socio-economic development of an area. Improvement of irrigation facilities and
development of secondary and tertiary sectors are the major reasons of socio-economic
development for the forty three drought prone areas of the State, which are as follows:
> Development of secondary occupation; like various industries has helped the drought prone
talukas of the respective district to develop by providing a source of earning other than
agriculture.
> Well-developed mode of transportation has given mobility to the people, which helped them to
migrate easily to some other area during the critical period of drought or dry season of the year
and hence, providing them the opportunity to earn.
> City provides occupation in secondary and tertiary sectors. Therefore cities have provided
numerous employment opportunity not only to city people but also to the villagers settled near
these cities.
> All the major rivers of Gujarat are tapped for the irrigation purpose. Therefore, areas near these
rivers have enough water to irrigate their fields even during summers. Thus, increase in total
production has helped them to increase their total income.
> Agriculture with scarce rainfall and saline soil is not enough to sustain people. But salt
industries in these districts have acted as a substitute to agriculture by providing people a source
of income unaffected by scarce rainfall.

3. THANK YOU