Characterizing drought prediction with deep learning: A literature review

Drought prediction is a complex phenomenon that impacts human activities and the environment. For this reason, predicting its behavior is crucial to mitigating such effects. Deep learning techniques are emerging as a powerful tool for this task. The main goal of this work is to review the state-of-the-art for characterizing the deep learning techniques used in the drought prediction task. The results suggest that the most widely used climate indexes were the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI). Regarding the multispectral index, the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) is the indicator most utilized. On the other hand, countries with a higher production of scientific knowledge in this area are located in Asia and Oceania; meanwhile, America and Africa are the region with few publications. Concerning deep learning methods, the Long-Short Term Memory network (LSTM) is the algorithm most implemented for this task, either implemented canonically or together with other deep learning techniques (hybrid methods). In conclusion, this review reveals a need for more scientific knowledge about drought prediction using multispectral indices and deep learning techniques in America and Africa; therefore, it is an opportunity to characterize the phenomenon in developing countries.