Summary

The goal of the OUTLAST research project is to develop the first global, multi-sectoral, and operational drought forecasting system for quantifying drought hazards in
1) water supply,
2) riverine ecosystems,
3) non-agricultural terrestrial ecosystems,
4) rainfed agriculture, and
5) irrigated agriculture, and to implement it as a component of the World Meteorological Organization's (WMO) Global Hydrological Status and Outlook System (HydroSOS).

Together with pilot users in the project regions of Lake Victoria (Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda) and West and Central Asia (e.g., Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Oman, Syria, Tajikistan, Turkey, Uzbekistan), the value of these global-scale drought hazard forecasts for data-poor, multi-country watersheds will be tested. Through co-design, the web portal and pilot applications of these global forecasts for drought management and water governance will be developed.