The drought stress in Balochistan, Sindh and some areas of Punjab and NWFP in Pakistan has claimed many human lives, eroded sustenance and livelihood opportunities with multiple impacts on human health and eco-biological diversity. The current disaster is being identified as a simultaneous incidence of agricultural, hydrological, and meteorological drought. The causes of drought are many and so are the solutions. However, the commitment and whole hearted efforts by all cross sections of society will determine how far we succeed in alleviating the traumatic calamity of drought and bring back the fleeing life to its habitat on a sustainable basis.

As part of the humanitarian efforts, this website is being published by the Sustainable Development Networking Programme (SDNP), a global initiative of UNDP which is managed by IUCN - The World Conservation Union, in Pakistan. This site, while providing and linking information resources about the drought incidences in different  areas, will generally try to address the development information needs with the following aims:

1. Keeping maximum possible record/track of information published in leading national and international newspapers and journals.

2. Keeping maximum possible record/track of governmental, civil society (including NGOs) and business community initiatives for alleviating drought situation in Pakistan.

3. Hosting field reports and reports from local population/journalists on the site.

4. Linking information and knowledge websites on sustainable development practices related to water management, food security and drought alleviation strategies around the world in general and South Asia in
particular.

5. Facilitating exchange of information amongst the concerned citizens, donors, CBOs, NGOs and government departments through a web-based email list specifically for drought situation in Pakistan.

6. Creating electronic linkages between the major agencies working in the drought hit areas so that co-ordination amongst helping agencies and people improves for the benefit of affected population.

In order to make this site a really helpful and informative initiative, SDNP needs your active help in all these objectives. You can help by sending latest reports that are reliable and useful, research work (published or unpublished), information resources, drought related web-links, addresses/reports of donors and other organizations involved in relief work. And yes, you can help the affected people by sending donations directly to the agencies working in the drought-hit areas.

Please send this material on the address given below:

Disclaimer

The content of the website is not necessarily reflective of SDNP, IUCN and UNDP's policies or vision nor the responsibility of validity and truth of the reports falls on the above mentioned organizations.