1. Drought Damage Assessment
SADC THEMA:
Drought Service
Drought Damage Assessment
A. Murwira (PhD), K. S. Murwira (PhD), M. Masocha (PhD), M. D. Shekede, I. Gwitira
Department of Geography and Environmental science
University of Zimbabwe

2. Drought Damage Assessment
Drought damage assessment for rangelands and Cropland is important for policy advice
For rangelands, the magnitude of decrease in dry matter productivity (DMP) due to drought is a useful measure of drought damage
DMP (dekagrams per hectare per year) is estimated from remote sensing.

3. 2009/2010 Season estimated DMP Surplus and Deficit Areas

4. Drought Damage Assessment
For croplands, the difference between realized yield in tonnes per hectare and the average yield can be used to assess drought damage
In Southern Africa the average maize yield is 1.2ton/ha
During a drought, if the yield is less than 1.2ton/ha the crop is performing less than normal and is therefore a measure of drought damage

5. 2009/2010 Season estimated Maize Yield Surplus and Deficit Areas

6. SADC THEMA: Drought Service
Thank you
A. Murwira (PhD), K. S. Murwira (PhD), M. Masocha (PhD), I. Gwitira and M. D. Shekede
Department of Geography and Environmental science
University of Zimbabwe and Scientific and Industrial Research and Development Centre, Geo-information and Remote Sensing Institute (SIRDC-GRSI)