| dc.description.abstract | This study focuses on the increasing frequency and intensity of drought globally since the 1970s, with a particular emphasis on Isingiro district. The district has been severely affected by drought for the past 20 years, especially since 2015, largely due to extensive deforestation for charcoal production. Local measures such as intercropping, mulching, water retention trenches, and bottle irrigation have been implemented on a small scale due to their cost-effectiveness. However, these measures have limitations in terms of scale and the types of crops they can support.
To address this issue on a larger scale, remote sensing and GIS technologies can provide advanced solutions for prioritizing and implementing large-scale irrigation systems. Agricultural drought is a complex phenomenon that cannot be accurately represented by a single parameter. Various indices derived from remote sensing have been used to monitor drought, but none of them can fully capture agricultural drought alone. Efforts have been made to integrate these indices for drought monitoring; however, composite indices have specific data requirements and applications that may not always be available.
In this study, a multi-criteria data analysis (MCDA) technique is employed to assess agricultural drought using three primary parameters: crop water supply, temperature above the crops, and vegetation health represented by the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), Temperature Condition Index (TCI), and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) respectively. Drought condition maps for the years 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2020 were generated using this technique, revealing that 2015 experienced the most extreme drought.
Furthermore, drought vulnerability maps were created, identifying Masha, Ruggaga, Endinzi, Kashumba, Kabingo, and Ngarama Counties as the most highly vulnerable areas to drought. By utilizing the findings from this study, policymakers and stakeholders can make informed decisions and prioritize appropriate interventions to mitigate the impacts of drought in Isingiro district. | en_US |
