Drought has __NOTOC__This article is part of a potential effect to cause other disasterssection on [[Resilient WASH systems in drought-prone areas|resilience of WASH systems]]. Some effects are summarized below:
[[Image:india-poverty-drought.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Crops are ruined by floods Drought has the potential to cause or drought, causing povertyworsen other disasters. Photo: [http://www.backpacking-tips-asia.com/india-Some effects on poverty.html India poverty.]]]* Drought causes increased poverty and food insecurity. Where drought events often occur with such frequency that people have no time to recover before another drought hits, their usual coping strategies for normal cyclical drought become inadequate. This results in increasing poverty gender, conflict and chronic food insecuritypower generation are outlined below.
====Poverty and food insecurity====
[[Image:india-poverty-drought.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Crops are ruined by floods or drought, causing poverty. Photo: [http://www.backpacking-tips-asia.com/india-poverty.html Backpacking Tips Asia.]]]
Drought causes increased poverty and food insecurity. Where drought events often occur with such frequency that people have no time to recover before another drought hits, their usual coping strategies for normal cyclical drought become inadequate. This results in increasing poverty and chronic food insecurity.
* Drought causes decreased agricultural productivity. Increased temperatures cause increased water demand for crops, which may be less available. Recent research into the effects of climate change indicates that even if basic adaptive measures are taken, global agricultural production will decline 3% by 2080 due to increased temperatures. In Kenya, the 1998 – 2000 droughts caused a 15% reduction in agricultural production (5% of which was livestock).
Links:*[http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-18412127 In pictures: Niger's hunger-fighting trees.] A photographic explanation of how the moringa tree is drought-resistant and providing a consistent food supply.* [Imagehttp:women collecting water//www.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Woman collecting waterbackpacking-tips-asia. com/india-poverty.html India poverty].* [http://endwaterpovertywww.blogspotgoogle.com/2010url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CFYQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fao.org%2Fcrisis%2F28402-0f9dad42f33c6ad6ebda108ddc1009adf.pdf&ei=tHvNT966FsWi2gWo-e2PAw&usg=AFQjCNGqdHl88ZLD4L_HKf5NDoI2mPJDhQ&sig2=PO8bza5-J_GBaTRxIANnTg Drought‐related food insecurity: A focus on the Horn of Africa.] FAO, 2011.* [http:/09/georginawww.nytimes.com/2005/11/02/international/africa/02malawi.html?pagewanted=all Drought Deepens Poverty, Starving More Africans.]* [http://www.irinnews.org/Report/90442/SYRIA-rannardDrought-frompushing-endmillions-waterinto-poverty SYRIA: Drought pushing millions into poverty.html Addressing two critical MDGs together]* [http: gender //www.oxfam.org/en/video/2011/inside-oxfams-work-fighting-drought-and-poverty-somalia Inside Oxfam's work fighting drought and poverty in water, sanitation and hygiene initiativesSomalia.] Photo: * [http://www.wateraidamericaguardian.co.orguk/global-development/ Water Aid] poverty-matters+environment/ Layton Thompsondrought Poverty matters blog + Drought.]]
====Gender====
[[Image:women collecting water.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Woman collecting water. Photo: [http://www.wateraidamerica.org/ Water Aid] / Layton Thompson.]]
Drought negatively impacts well-being of women and girls who will spend more time collecting firewood, collecting water from increasingly distant sources, attending to sick family members and cultivating land (most agricultural activities undertaken by women).
Links:* Drought negatively impacts well[http://endwaterpoverty.blogspot.com/2010/09/georgina-rannard-from-end-water-being of women poverty.html Addressing two critical MDGs together: gender in water, sanitation and girls who will spend more time collecting firewoodhygiene initiatives.]* [http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&ved=0CFoQFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gendercc.net%2Ffileadmin%2Finhalte%2FDokumente%2FUNFCCC_conferences%2FRoad_to_COP15%2FZAHUR-gendercc-2009-06-09.pdf&ei=_3_NT4O4D6eQ2QX2_Ij0DQ&usg=AFQjCNFPdx34775wM0JWYiEutFn-o-brLg&sig2=Lu-YWHK2ROupc45T-rYISw Climate Change (CC), collecting water Migration and Gender: Reflections from increasingly distant sourcesBalochistan, attending Pakistan Drought (1998 to 2002).]* [http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=4&ved=0CF0QFjAD&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ekhistmotet09.ekhist.uu.se%2Ffiledownload.php%3Fid%3D72&ei=_3_NT4O4D6eQ2QX2_Ij0DQ&usg=AFQjCNE1rZ5Ljovuv27FqIc0lXL3mqFQ0Q&sig2=p5R_5jJOWnp2kNauhDbECg Changes in gender-differentiated vulnerability to sick family members drought in Nicaragua.]* [http://www.africaportal.org/articles/2012/02/22/gender-dimensions-drought-and-pastoral-mobility-among-maasai Gender Dimensions of Drought and Pastoral Mobility among the Maasai.]* [http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=8&ved=0CGwQFjAH&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.met.gov.na%2FAAP%2FConsultancies%2FCCALeadershipTraining%2FDocuments%2FDrought%2520and%2520Fooding%2520Final%2520Summary%2520Report.pdf&ei=_3_NT4O4D6eQ2QX2_Ij0DQ&usg=AFQjCNG58pgMg5hhDW-R-iqdye69lObXAQ&sig2=CHLk9cJeVnGPGvpDgrdfyg Drought and cultivating land (most agricultural activities undertaken by women)Flooding Risk Assessment Tool for Gender Specific Decision-Making.]* [http://www.gtzkenyahealth.com/blog3/?p=9121 Drought in Kenya through a Gender Lens.]
* ====Water wars and conflict====[[Image:water wars.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Blue Gold: Water Wars, the movie. Image: [http://www.bluegold-worldwaterwars.com/ Bluegold-worldwaterwars.com.]]]Drought can increase conflict. Although complex to link as cause and effect, in some areas (e.g. Darfur) drought has resulted in differing interpretations of rights to access water and land among nomadic and sedentary groups, contributing to the escalation of ethnic tensions.
Links:
* [http://academic.evergreen.edu/g/grossmaz/oforiaa/ Water Wars and International Conflict.]
* [http://www.worldwater.org/conflict.html Water conflict chronology.] Worldwater.org.
* [http://seedmagazine.com/content/article/the_truth_about_water_wars/ The Truth About Water Wars.]
* [http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=6&ved=0CHQQFjAF&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.unep.org%2Fdnc%2FPortals%2F155%2Fdnc%2Fdocs%2Fecp%2Fecspr10_unf-caribelko.pdf&ei=6IHNT-CMD6TS2AWKqMjBAw&usg=AFQjCNHBQxfs8VSHxqkjpRoxi4H2yXO-zA&sig2=UV5TEU4xkp8kM-2GRyIJvQ Water, Conflict, and Cooperation.] The United Nations and Environmental Security.
* [http://www.defencetalk.com/water-war-possible-between-india-and-pakistan-22285/ Water War Possible Between India and Pakistan.]
* [http://www.worldpress.org/Asia/2533.cfm Water Is Running Out: How Inevitable Are International Conflicts?] Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN), United Nations.
* [http://agriwaterpedia.info/wiki/Conflicts_over_water_resources Conflicts over water resources] from Agriwaterpedia.
* ====Hydropower generation====[[Image:hydropower africa.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Hydropower operations are greatly affected by drought. Photo: ABD Finesse.]]Drought impacts power generation, industrial production and investment. In Kenya, 26% of all the economic losses during the 1998 – 2000 drought was due to reduction in hydropower generation, while 58% was due to reduction in industrial production, which was the largest sector affected.
Links:* [http://www.circleofblue.org/waternews/2009/world/dry-spell-weakens-kenyas-hydropower/ Dry Spell Weakens Kenya’s Hydropower.]*[Imagehttp:water wars//finesse-africa.org/newsletter/200604/hp_africa.jpg|thumb|center|200px|Blue Goldphp Scaling up access to energy agenda: Water Wars, the movieDecentralized small hydropower schemes in sub Sahara Africa. Image]* [http: //www.china.org.cn/environment/2011-05/25/content_22635822.htm Hydropower running out of steam due to drought.]* [http://www.bluegoldirinnews.org/Report/92148/In-worldwaterwarsBrief-Drought-threatens-hydropower-in-Vietnam In Brief: Drought threatens hydropower in Vietnam.]* [http://www.nytimes.com/ Bluegoldcwire/2011/06/14/14climatewire-chinas-drought-threatens-farm-income-drinkin-worldwaterwars63459.html?pagewanted=all China's Drought Threatens Farm Income, Drinking Water, Wildlife and Hydropower.]* [http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03/09/venezuela-looks-to-wind-and-nuclear-power-amid-drought-and-hydropower-slowdown/ Drought Has Venezuela Looking at Alternatives to Hydropower.]]]