Affordable Methods and Techniques to Optimize Farming Productivity in a Context of Climate Change in Arid Areas

Abstract

Worldwide, the arid lands occupy one of the largest areas on Earth, covering more than 30% of the total area. In these lands, scarcity of resources has emerged as a consequence of climate change (CC) and anthropogenic pressure. The reduced resources require sustainable management, including the use of efficient methods and techniques to adapt to CC. The purpose of this chapter is to present a collection of affordable techniques and practices to optimize farming productivity in the context of CC. This chapter also presents the strengths and weaknesses and highlights the replication of these methods where water supply and food security are far from being achieved. Each technic must be studied and adapted with caution in context of the defined arid area, taking into account the local socio-economic and ecological characteristics. The proposed techniques may be used in governmental planning to support the adaptation and mitigation strategies.