Assessing the Spatial and Temporal Characteristics of Meteorological Drought in Afghanistan

Afghanistan is suffering from periodic events of drought, which has exacerbated in recent years due to extreme climate events in the region. Having an arid to semi-arid climate, the country faces significant challenges of water resources management, especially for irrigation as reliance on agriculture is cumbersome. This study is undertaken to characterize historical meteorological drought in Afghanistan to provide an insight on where and when meteorological drought events happened in different River Basins (RBs). The study mainly employs the gamma-Standardized Precipitation Index (gamma-SPI) to analyze historical meteorological droughts across Afghanistan from 1979 to 2019. Monthly precipitation data is obtained from the Ministry of Energy and Water (MEW) of Afghanistan, which is a combination of observed data from ground stations and gap-filled data by the MEW for the study period. Gridded gamma-SPI values are interpolated and mapped to visualize patterns of spatial drought across the entire country. The results indicate that countrywide extreme drought events occurred in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2010, 2016, 2017, and 2019, particularly affecting southern, western, and southwestern regions. Decreasing rainfall occurred in all five RBs, with the most considerable decline observed in the 1999–2008 period. The study reveals the increasing frequency and severity of meteorological droughts in Afghanistan. It also emphasizes on the vulnerability of agriculture and water sectors due to the drought events. The findings of the study suggest the need for better drought monitoring, preparedness, awareness, and adaptation of strategies to ensure water security and agricultural sustainability in the face of climate change.