Agricultural Drought Assessment Using Remote Sensing Technologies: A Case Study in Souss Massa Region

Agricultural Drought presents a significant risk to food security, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions where crop production is highly dependent on irrigation and annual rainfall. Therefore, this research was conducted in Souss Massa region, a semi-arid region relying on agricultural production for its economy to develop drought early warning studies in this region. This study aims to assess the agricultural drought and its associated impacts, as accurate identification is crucial for effectively minimizing its negative impacts. In this work, we evaluate various Remote Sensing-based indices to create a composite drought index with distinct severity classes (No Drought, Moderate Drought, Severe Drought, Extreme Drought). This approach enables the identification and mapping of drought-affected areas. These findings provide valuable insights into the potential of remote sensing for drought monitoring and contribute to development of effective drought management strategies in Souss Massa region.