Abstract:

In Euphrates Tigris Basin (ETB), droughts are a regular feature in the region and have significant social, environmental, and economic impacts, particularly in places where there are already pressures on existing water resources. Drought has a negative impact on health, the agricultural production, and the economic condition of most people who live in ETB; and food scarcity makes migration from these dry areas and expected to increase further in the future. Droughts are a regular feature in the region and they have significant social, environmental, and economic impacts where rainfed farming is important. Therefore there is an urgent need to build resilience and adaptive capacity of riparian states focusing on innovative regional-based drought and agricultural investment strategies. In this paper, the economic, social, cultural, and environmental aspects of drought in the Euphrates and Tigris basin is evaluated.An integrated or nexus approach to resources management and cooperation appears to be the evident way forward. The nexus approach identifies water, energy, and food as the central sectors and advocates for better physical as well as policy and governance integration.

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