The impact of drought in agriculture is one of the most complex natural hazards to predict and mitigate. It carries a constant risk for most smallholder farmers around the world. According to studies conducted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 83 percent of all damages and losses caused globally by drought between 2006 and 2016 have been absorbed by agriculture, putting a good part of the world population at risk of food insecurity.

The guide aims to guide governments and other relevant actors in the development of early warning - early actions on agricultural drought plans that must be implemented before a drought event has significant impacts and causes damages and losses that could eventually become a disaster. The manual complements other instruments used at global and local levels to develop EWEA on agricultural and response plans related to drought.