Agricultural Drought Assessment Using Remote Sensing and GIS Techniques: A Case Study of East Shewa Zone, Ethiopia

Abstract

In dry land semi-arid areas of Ethiopia, including large parts of East Shewa Zone,
agricultural drought is common, and fanners inhabiting the area experience
extreme temporal and spatial variability of rainfall with longer dry spells in
cropping seasons. This makes them vulnerable to the risk of agricuLtural drought.
Thus, in order to adapt to the impact of agricultural drought, spatioremporal
variation of agricultural drought patterns and severity was assessed using
different drought indices with the objective 0/ assessing agricl/ltural drought risk
and preparing agricultural drought risk zone map. Indices-based resuLts indicate
tllat 2000-2005 cropping seasons experienced enhanced agricultural drought ana
yield reduction with observed spatial difference in severity level. The year 2002
was (he most severe of all followed by 2000. The risk IMp indicates that East
Shewa Zone is classified into slight, moderaJe and severe agricultural drought risk
zones covering 17.18%, 41.32% and 41.50% o/the (otal area, respectively.