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areas should be classified based on specific challenges, then
suitable SLM practices are implemented and adopted for
each class. Four dominant agroecosystems are considered in
the dry area in general and in the Near East and North Africa
in particular. These are the pastoral (rangeland) agroecosys-
tems, rain-fed agroecosystems, irrigated agroecosystems and
forests and agroforestry.
The challenge in pastoral (rangeland) agroecosystems
is to enhance productivity and halt/reverse land degrada-
tion through rehabilitation and improved management
of the natural resources, particularly the most limiting
resources, land and water. By concentrating (collecting) the
run-off into target areas, water harvesting increases water
availability to plants, controls soil erosion, reduces the
impact of drought, improves the productivity and vegeta-
tion cover, and increases rainwater productivity. Within
the International Centre for Agricultural Research in the
Dry Areas (ICARDA) led rangeland benchmark site in the
Badia of Jordan, innovative methods to select and imple-
ment water harvesting interventions were developed and
the willingness of farmers to adopt these technologies has
significantly increased.
In rain-fed agroecosystems, production is dependent
on a low and extremely variable rainfall and, therefore,
productivity is low and unstable. This is further affected by
frequent droughts and continuing land degradation. One
option that has the potential to provide large productiv-
ity gains is the use of supplemental irrigation for rain-fed
crops, provided there is water available for irrigation. This
is done by using and optimizing limited water resources in
supplemental irrigation to increase and stabilize yields and
water-use efficiency. In the ICARDA-led rain-fed bench-
mark site in Tadla, Morocco, work in the farmers’ fields has
shown that wheat yields are doubled with limited supple-
mental irrigation while increased by 30 per cent with the
application of only 50 mm of water to advance the sowing
date by few weeks. Water productivity is nearly doubled
(exceeding 2 kg of grain per cubic metre of water).
In irrigated agroecosystems, increasing water produc-
tivity/efficiency in irrigated areas is a top priority almost
everywhere in the world; but it is of particular importance
in the dry areas where water scarcity is high and is rapidly
increasing. Increasing water productivity in irrigated agri-
culture requires reducing water losses and improving water
management and cropping patterns at the farm, field and
basin levels. In the ICARDA-led irrigated benchmark site
in Egypt, an alternative option to the inefficient furrow
irrigation followed by farmers was introduced. The raised
bed system and package was developed and mechanized.
It has resulted in 30 per cent lower water use by farmers,
along with correspondingly lower pumping and labour
costs, without reduction in yield. Farmers’ incomes have
been increased by 15 per cent and water productivity by
30 per cent. Net return per unit of water was increased by
20 per cent.
Forests and agroforestry systems in drylands play crucial
ecological, social and economic roles while improving
environmental sustainability and resilience in the wider
landscapes. They harbour species that are particularly
Proven interventions
Among the proven interventions/packages to help in fighting
land degradation and secure more food in the dry areas are:
• Rangelands: macro- and micro-catchment water harvesting
practices (contour ridges and semicircular bunds using
the Vallerani mechanized system), rooftop and courtyard
water harvesting
• Irrigated areas: water-saving techniques (raised beds
and deficit irrigation)
• Rain-fed areas: supplemental irrigation and early sowing
• Forests and agroforestry: innovative water harvesting
techniques, use of treated wastewater, sand dune fixation,
conserving soil fertility, controlling erosion, using vegetative
strips in farmland, assisted natural regeneration, community
forestry and development of community-based small and
medium enterprises.
The World Overview of Conservation Approaches and Technologies
is acknowledged by the United Nations
Convention to Combat Desertification as the primary database
for SLM best practices to support the 194 signatory countries
in recording their own SLM best practices and using the SLM
knowledge of stakeholders worldwide.
Macro- and micro-catchment water harvesting practices are a proven
intervention against land degradation
Image: ICARDA Benchmarks – Jordan
The Global Soil Partnership
Five pillars of action:
1. Promote sustainable management of soil resources for soil
protection, conservation and sustainable productivity
2. Encourage investment, technical cooperation, policy, education
awareness and extension in soil
3. Promote targeted soil research and development focusing
on identified gaps and priorities and synergies with related
productive, environmental and social development actions
4. Enhance the quantity and quality of soil data and information:
data collection (generation), analysis, validation, reporting,
monitoring and integration with other disciplines
5. Harmonize methods, measurements and indicators for the
sustainable management and protection of soil resources.
The implementation plans for the regional soil partnerships are in
an advanced stage of development based on regional challenges,
gaps and priorities and are expected to substantively strengthen
partnerships for promoting sustainable soil management and
restoring degraded soils worldwide.
L iving L and