Disaster Reduction Planning and Response: The Example of National Drought Policy in USA

Severe droughts have occurred frequently in various parts of the United States throughout the 20th Century. These natural disasters caused severe hardship not only on the agriculture sector of society, but also on the entire socio-economic infrastructure. Until recently, governments and relief agencies responded to a drought disaster from a crisis perspective in a purely reactive approach. However, a comprehensive disaster management approach has emerged over the past decade, shifting from reactive relief to proactive risk management. Risk management is based on preparedness and mitigation measures. Interagency collaboration led to the development of a coordinated national drought policy.