These technical guidelines present practical information for supporting the development and implementation of national drought resilience, adaptation and management plans. The accompanying Drought Resilience, Adaptation and Management Policy (DRAMP) Framework documents the recent evolution of drought viewed in the context of disaster risk reduction and proposes a framework that integrates six goals for nations to reduce exposure and vulnerability to drought, increase resilience, transform their economies and political and cultural institutions, develop comprehensive drought management plans, and share drought risks. The material in the technical guidelines is derived from assessments of risk and vulnerability methods, and monitoring and forecasting tools including data used to trigger drought management responses such as precipitation, streamflow, groundwater, reservoir levels and soil moisture.

The document also provides an inventory of the key indicators used to monitor and forecast drought onset, duration, end, severity and impacts. A large body of scientific literature and the key drought policy documents were consulted to ensure that these technical guidelines contain the latest advances in science and policy.