Synthesis of contributions and policy dialogue at the International Conference on Policies for Water and Food Security in Dry Areas . Toward a framework for countries and development partners for long-term investment in water management for food security in the Middle East and North Africa region | Roberto Telleria. (30/6/2013). Policies for Water and Food Security in Dry Areas. Beirut, Lebanon: International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA).

The symposium (2014) focused on the challenges of crop production faced by farmers in the Sahel region. The presentation covers a three-year fertilizer micro dosing (MD) project that was combined with rainwater harvesting (RWH). The techniques are assessed in terms of effects on crop production and family income. It also explores the “warrantage” or inventory credit system where harvested crops are stored and used as collateral to access loans and credit. With improving crop varieties, MD and RWH can increase yields up to 200%. There is no evidence that the process caused land degradation or yield decline, suggesting long term sustainability.

This summary informs decision makers and planners at national and regional level about a potential approach to transition degraded drylands with available but saline groundwater, to irrigated legume production. It is also useful for extension planners and rural development groups (NGOs) | Hugo Remaury. (31/3/2013). Small-scale water desalination increases farm-level food security and income in the driest areas (Tunisia). Beirut, Lebanon: International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA).

This introduction sets the scene for the special issue compiled by Martin Keulertz, Eckart Woertz and Tony Allan.

Summary of ongoing PhD research presented as a poster at the University of Edinburgh Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies Annual PGR Conference, 23 April 2024

Abstract Smallholder farmers, who mostly engage in low-value agriculture in the drylands of Northern Africa, were the first to have felt the effects of climate change, with threats to their livelihoods and food security. The increasing costs of agricultural production, poor water and energy infrastructure, loss of agricultural land due to urban expansion, fragmented resource management, and unsustainable management practices all contribute to this vulnerability to climate change. This highlights the urgent need for innovative practices in farming systems. Within the framework of the water–energy–food–ecosystem nexus, this paper explores innovative practices in dryland farming systems, by assessing their impact on water, energy, food, and ecosystem through stakeholder perception. In this work, we aim to present a systems approach for assessing the resilience of the water–energy–food–ecosystem nexus in arid and semiarid regions. By using a multi-criteria analysis (MCA) approach, the study—which focuses on the Fès–Meknès region in Morocco—involves local actors to help researchers identify the key variables in order to assist farmers in their adaptation to climate change. The findings revealed different priorities between farmers and other stakeholders regarding the adoption of agricultural innovations. Farmers prioritize innovations that guarantee higher profitability and more market opportunities, such as integrating olive trees with cereal crops, by highlighting the importance of sustainable income sources. Meanwhile, stakeholders, such as researchers, engineers, government officials, and agribusiness entrepreneurs, prioritize innovations that emphasize high water use efficiency, which is crucial for the resilience of dryland farming areas: for instance, rainwater harvesting or the use of drought-resistant crop varieties that directly address the need for water conservation. But in doing so they are overlooking broader aspects within the water–energy–food–ecosystem nexus.

Smallholder farmers, who mostly engage in low-value agriculture in the drylands of Northern Africa, were the first to have felt the effects of climate change, with threats to their livelihoods and food security. The increasing costs of agricultural production, poor water and energy infrastructure, loss of agricultural land due to urban expansion, fragmented resource management, and unsustainable management practices all contribute to this vulnerability to climate change. This highlights the urgent need for innovative practices in farming systems. Within the framework of the water–energy–food–ecosystem nexus, this paper explores innovative practices in dryland farming systems, by assessing their impact on water, energy, food, and ecosystem through stakeholder perception. In this work, we aim to present a systems approach for assessing the resilience of the water–energy–food–ecosystem nexus in arid and semiarid regions. By using a multi-criteria analysis (MCA) approach, the study—which focuses on the Fès–Meknès region in Morocco—involves local actors to help researchers identify the key variables in order to assist farmers in their adaptation to climate change. The findings revealed different priorities between farmers and other stakeholders regarding the adoption of agricultural innovations. Farmers prioritize innovations that guarantee higher profitability and more market opportunities, such as integrating olive trees with cereal crops, by highlighting the importance of sustainable income sources. Meanwhile, stakeholders, such as researchers, engineers, government officials, and agribusiness entrepreneurs, prioritize innovations that emphasize high water use efficiency, which is crucial for the resilience of dryland farming areas: for instance, rainwater harvesting or the use of drought-resistant crop varieties that directly address the need for water conservation. But in doing so they are overlooking broader aspects within the water–energy–food–ecosystem nexus.

Smallholder farmers, who mostly engage in low-value agriculture in the drylands of Northern Africa, were the first to have felt the effects of climate change, with threats to their livelihoods and food security. The increasing costs of agricultural production, poor water and energy infrastructure, loss of agricultural land due to urban expansion, fragmented resource management, and unsustainable management practices all contribute to this vulnerability to climate change. This highlights the urgent need for innovative practices in farming systems. Within the framework of the water–energy–food–ecosystem nexus, this paper explores innovative practices in dryland farming systems, by assessing their impact on water, energy, food, and ecosystem through stakeholder perception. In this work, we aim to present a systems approach for assessing the resilience of the water–energy–food–ecosystem nexus in arid and semiarid regions. By using a multi-criteria analysis (MCA) approach, the study—which focuses on the Fès–Meknès region in Morocco—involves local actors to help researchers identify the key variables in order to assist farmers in their adaptation to climate change. The findings revealed different priorities between farmers and other stakeholders regarding the adoption of agricultural innovations. Farmers prioritize innovations that guarantee higher profitability and more market opportunities, such as integrating olive trees with cereal crops, by highlighting the importance of sustainable income sources. Meanwhile, stakeholders, such as researchers, engineers, government officials, and agribusiness entrepreneurs, prioritize innovations that emphasize high water use efficiency, which is crucial for the resilience of dryland farming areas: for instance, rainwater harvesting or the use of drought-resistant crop varieties that directly address the need for water conservation. But in doing so they are overlooking broader aspects within the water–energy–food–ecosystem nexus.