As an area of research and development, arid-zone agriculture, or desert agriculture, includes studies of how to increase the agricultural productivity of lands dominated by lack of freshwater, an abundance of heat and sunlight, and usually one or more of extreme winter cold, short rainy season, saline soil or water, strong dry winds, poor soil structure, over-grazing, limited technological development, poverty, political instability.

The two basic approaches are

• view the given environmental and socioeconomic characteristics as negative obstacles to be overcome
• view as many as possible of them as positive resources to be used

See also

• Agriculture in Israel
• Biosalinity
• International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas
• University of Arid Agriculture (in Rawalpindi in Pakistan)
• Xeriscaping
• Xerophyte
• Desert agriculture
• Dryland farming

Notes

External links and further reading

• P. Koohafkan and B.A. Stewart, Water and Cereals in Drylands published by The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and Earthscan
  • Water and Cereals in Drylands