Monitoring Agricultural Drought Using Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing on the Primary Corn and Soybean Belt in the United States

Abstract

Agricultural drought can be defined as inadequate soil water availability caused by low precipitation, and or high atmospheric water demand due to potential evapotranspiration which results in a reduction in crop yield. Agricultural drought serves as a major threat to food security and economic prosperity. In other words, the greater the drought, the greater the reduction of food production which leads to higher prices due to economic supply and demand.