ARID REGION FARMING PRIMER

CONTENTS
Introduction
Principal Problems of Agriculture in Arid Regions
Agricultural Techniques for Arid Lands
Crop Plants for Tropical Arid Regions
Animals for Dry Regions of the Tropics
Useful Publications and Additional Resources (prepared by C!" staff#
In e$ery region of the %orld it is necessary to find or de$elop appropriate techniques
for agriculture& A large part of the surface of the %orld is arid' characteri(ed as too dry
for con$entional rain fed agriculture& )et' millions of people li$e in such regions' and
if current trends in population increase continue' there %ill soon be millions more&
These people must eat' and the %isest course for them is to produce their o%n food&
)et' the techniques are so $aried that only a $ery large $olume %ould co$er the entire
sub*ect& This publication is only a primer' an introduction to appropriate techniques&
+ore e,tensi$e treatments are mentioned in the bibliography& In many cases the most
suitable techniques for a particular region may be those already de$eloped by the
local inhabitants& In some cases it %ill be difficult to impro$e on local techniques' but
at times e$en simple and ine,pensi$e inno$ations may be almost re$olutionary& This
bulletin suggests that one must begin to impro$e local agriculture in arid (ones by
learning %hat is already there& Then both techniques and plants that may be useful in
specific situations are suggested&
Definitions and degrees of aridity. -Arid- implies prolonged dryness' and is used
%ith respect to the climate and the land belo% it& In such regions the ability to produce
agricultural crops is restricted& Usually on arid lands the potential e$aporation of
%ater from the land e,ceeds the rainfall& The land may be characteri(ed according to
the degree of aridity as dry forest' chaparral or brushland' grassland or sa$annah' or
desert& -Arid- does not adequately characteri(e the soils' ho%e$er' for they may $ary
in many %ays& "ften they are al.aline or saline&
/e$eral degrees of dryness must be recogni(ed& The first is %here the dry climate is
modified by seasonal rainy seasons& In such a region it might be possible to produce a
%ide range of annual crops during the short rainy season' enough to sustain animals
and feed man.ind' although fe% food or feed trees might be feasible %ithout special
techniques& The second situation is a year round aridity' sometimes modified by light
or irregular rains' %hich might ma.e production of crops impossible& The third
situation is %here %ater is brought in by %ells' canals' or other means so that normal
agriculture can e,ist' in spite of the aridity of the climate& This primer concerns the
first t%o situations' but not the third& There are techniques suitable for all arid regions&
Principal arid regions of te !orld. Arid regions are often e,tensi$e' but in the
tropics it is common' e$en on a small island' to find arid regions near regions of
abundant rainfall& The large arid regions are0
North America Africa
Much of Western USA The Sahara Desert
The Sonoran Desert The Sahel
The Kalahari Desert
Central America East Africa
The Pacific Coast
South America Asia
The Atacama Desert The Middle East
The Serrano of Brazil The Indian or Thar Desert
The Namu Desert
Australia The Kara!um Desert
The Central Deserts The "oi Desert
!o%e$er' %hile the abo$e mentioned regions may constitute the most arid regions'
ne$ertheless' there are many more areas' large and small' %here aridity is a problem&
Return to C"1T1T/&
PRINCIPA" PRO#"EMS OF AGRIC$"T$RE IN ARID REGIONS
%ater. 2ater is absolutely necessary for all plant and animal life& Plants ha$e
e$ol$ed that are capable of li$ing and reproducing in semi3arid' arid' and e$en desert
regions& !o%e$er' as aridity increases' fe%er and fe%er species are adapted' and the
potential biomass is reduced&
Plants are adapted to aridity by se$eral mechanisms& There are plants %ith a short life
cycle that can germinate' gro%' and produce during a $ery short period of a$ailable
moisture& There are plants %ith deep or e,tensi$e root systems %hich ha$e the ability
to gather %ater o$er a %ide area& There are plants %hich store up %ater in their tissues
and release it $ery slo%ly& There are plants that are protected from %ater loss by %a,
or other impediments& There are plants %ith $ery small or narro% lea$es' thus
reducing %ater loss& There are plants in %hich the tissues themsel$es can %ithstand
muchdesiccation %ithout dying& Crop plants in arid regions may ha$e any or a
combination of such mechanisms&
2ater that falls in arid regions may be of little use for crop plants because the amount
is too small to penetrate the soil sufficiently' or it may run through a porous soil too
quic.ly' or it may run off too quic.ly& 4urthermore' %eedy species may be so adept at
utili(ing scarce %ater that they rob the %ater from crops& "n the other hand' some
soils store %ater so efficiently that it is possible to gro% crops o$er an e,tensi$e
period of drought&
2ater from ri$ers' la.es and %ells in arid regions may ha$e problems of quality'
especially the presence of e,cess minerals& The use of irrigation %ater might lead to
the accumulation of salts in the soil resulting in al.alinity or salinity' %hich might
then limit crop production& The remo$al of salt from the soil is $ery difficult&
In all arid regions a ma*or challenge is to manage %ater appropriately& The purpose of
such management is to obtain %ater' to conser$e it' to use it efficiently' and to a$oid
damage to the soil&
&eat and %ind. The ma*or effects of heat and %ind are to increase the rate of
e$aporation' and thus to increase the effects of aridity& 2ind may also cause
mechanical damage to crops& 5oth are combatted by changing the microclimate& The
effects of %inds can be reduced by %indbrea.s (lines of trees perpendicular to the
direction of pre$ailing %inds#& /ome useful tall species are tamaris.' casuarina' and
eucalyptus& A %indbrea. can consist of trees and other plants of $arying height& As a
general rule' a %indbrea. is effecti$e o$er an area 6&7 times the height of the tree& "ne
must remember' ho%e$er' that a %indbrea. may also rob crops of light' %ater and
nutrients& Thus' the ad$antages of a %indbrea. must be %eighed against the
disad$antages in any particular en$ironment& 2indbrea.s can also be constructed of
non3li$ing materials' %hich are li.ely to be e,pensi$e&
!eat is recei$ed principally from the sun and can be reduced by shading& 5ut' shading
also reduces the yields of plants& A light shade such as that belo% a coconut planting
or a protecti$e screen or lath%or. can be useful in reducing heat and retaining
moisture' %ith only a minimum loss of yield&
Soils. /oils of the arid tropics are highly $ariable' as they are in any climate&
1e$ertheless' it is possible to ma.e some generali(ations about such soils& 5ecause of
the lo% rainfall and consequently reduced plant gro%th' organic material is produced
slo%ly& )et' again because of lo% rainfall' it may be bro.en do%n slo%ly as %ell& The
amount of organic material in the soil' and thus the potential fertility' is li.ely to be
high in semi3arid (ones' lo% in deserts&
5ecause of lo% rainfall in desert soils' minerals deri$ed from brea.do%n of roc.s are
not leached from the soil& In some cases %here the soil is periodically flooded or
irrigated the soil might be saline as %ell& /uch soils support fe% crops& /oils of the
semi3arid and arid (ones might support fe% plants on the surface' but a good part of
the biomass might be in the soil itself as roots& /hrubby desert plants often ha$e $ery
hard %oody roots that may be a physical barrier to agriculture&
Disease and Pest Problems& Arid regions ha$e their fair share of disease and pest
problems& !o%e$er' these may often be quite different from those of %etter regions&
1ematodes are often a se$ere problem in sandy soils& 1o general rules are useful' and
indeed' agriculture anticipates diseases and pests' and their parasites as %ell& Return to
C"1T1T/&
AGRIC$"T$RA" TEC&NI'$ES FOR ARID "ANDS
+any of the techniques for agriculture in arid lands are not $ery different from those
in other climatic (ones& The unique problems of arid lands are almost entirely related
to %ater or its effects o$er long or short times& Therefore' the discussion here re$ol$es
around t%o questions0 -!o% to capture e,isting %ater'- and -!o% to use %ater
%isely&-
&o! to Capt(re E)isting %ater
+uch of the %ater that falls on arid lands is lost by runoff' deep penetration into
sands' or by e$aporation& Runoff can be captured for later use in natural or nature3li.e
%ays' or in manmade structures& These include the follo%ing0
8& 4urro%s' and di.ing of furro%s' ditches' and pits follo%ing contours to slo% the
runoff of %ater and permit deeper penetration&
6& /imilar structures reinforced by bench terraces' $egetati$e strips' or trees for alley
cropping&
9& Crescent3shaped basins arranged to gather %ater for one or more trees&
:& Reser$oirs of %ater' such as natural or constructed shallo% basins along roads
%hich capture runoff' earth structures that lead %ater into aquifers (underground
streams#' roc. or clay3lined underground basins&
7& "ther man3made structures& These include cisterns (household or community si(ed
clay' stone' or concrete tan.s' chec. dams (small structures that impede %ater
mo$ement in a stream#' and con$entional dams&
&o! to O*tain Ne! %ater
In many arid regions %ater can be obtained from %ells& The depth of the %ell
necessary to obtain %ater may $ary a fe% to thousands of feet& 2ater in %ells is either
fossil (stored o$er impermeable layers for thousands of years#' or from %ater that has
entered the soil from rain' and is therefore stored rain%ater& 5oth sources of %ater are
limited and can be e,hausted&
1e% %ater is also obtained by condensation from the air' either onto metal screens or
plastic (the principle of the solar still# or onto foliage& Ingenious systems can be
de$eloped to capture this condensation& This source of %ater depends on nighttime
temperatures that lo%er to the point of condensation&
&o! to Conser+e E)isting %ater
2ater that is conser$ed is *ust as $aluable as %ater that is obtained' and conser$ation
is one of the best strategies for arid (ones& There are many techniques' here presented
only as lists&
At the le$el of the home0 Reduce %ater use in the home& Capture gray %ater (from
.itchen and bath# for later use in the garden& Use o$erflo% from septic tan.s to
irrigate trees&
On te far, or garden0 Red(ce e+aporation !it !ind*rea-s and ligt sade.
Plant in te *est soil. and lead r(noff !ater to it. Plant in f(rro!s. pits. or s!ales.
Esta*lis plants in a n(rsery in pots. !en feasi*le. for later transplanting. /eep
te soil ric in organic ,aterial. $se dro(gt resistant crops or +arieties. !en
possi*le. Ma)i,i0e (se of trees tat prod(ce food in arid regions. Plant d(ring
appropriate seasons. $se ,(lc. *(t not in e)cess. Irrigate efficiently 1(s(ally te
,ost efficient syste, is drip irrigation2. /eep !eeds do!n. Eli,inate crop plants
as soon as tey finis prod(cing&
Oter tecni3(es
&illside far,ing. The special aspect of hillside farming that merits attention here is
that %ater rapidly runs off and often causes erosion& Thus' hillsides can be arid e$en
in an other%ise %etter climate& The techniques required for successful hillside farming
are those that capture %ater' minimi(e runoff and erosion' and help build soil fertility&
/ome techniques are $ery simple' such as plo%ing along the contour and lea$ing
$egetati$e strips bet%een planting& /ome are more comple, and e,pensi$e' and may
require engineering' such as building bench terraces' correcting gullies' and building
ponds and dams&
Te ,ost elegant tecni3(es and pro*a*ly te ,ost satisfactory are associated
!it te (se of ,(ltiple p(rpose leg(,es in syste,s of alley cropping. Trees
along te conto(rs are (sed to grad(ally de+elop terraces and ,ean!ile enric
soil *y capt(ring nitrogen and *ringing (p deeply *(ried n(trients. ,a-ing te,
a+aila*le in foliage. (sed as fertili0er. In addition. s(c trees ,ay f(rnis
fire!ood. feed. or occasionally food.
The crops for hillsides should be those with very deep roots or that can take
advantage of short times of availability of water.
$se of trees. Trees %ill often be the most useful crop plants in arid regions' for %ith
deep roots they can ma.e ma,imum use of %ater& Trees %ill need special protection
%hen they are planted' including irrigation in time of need& A good tree crop ought to
fill many purposes&
Resid(al ,oist(re. In some soils in arid regions %ith short rainy seasons' crops are
planted near the end of the rainy season and e$en after rains ha$e ceased in order to
ta.e ad$antage of moisture stored in the soil& Tepary beans are produced using this
principle& +elons are often used as such crops in Central America&
Alternate years. A common practice in arid regions is to plant only e$ery other year&
During the year %hen the ground is left fallo%' %eeds' %hich use up the %ater in the
soil' are controlled& This type of planting is suitable only for soils %ith a large
capacity to store %ater& This %ill be e$ident %hen the crops or %eeds on a soil remain
green for a long period after rains ha$e ceased&
Feeding of ani,als. Crop residues' both har$ested and those left in the fields' may be
used as feed during dry seasons& Animals such as cattle' goats' sheep' hogs' chic.ens'
and duc.s clean up the field and can help eliminate %eed seeds' and' of course' they
also lea$e their manure& Return to C"1T1T/&
CROP P"ANTS FOR TROPICA" ARID REGIONS
Crop plants for arid regions are tose tat s(r+i+e and prod(ce in spite of
aridity& !o%e$er' in almost all of these crops, seeds must be germinated or cuttings
must be rooted under conditions of almost normal water availability& Therefore'
%hen one spea.s of tolerance of dry conditions one is tal.ing mostly about the
dro(gt tolerance of te gro!ing or ,at(re plant. In the following tables, plants
that are useful in arid regions are considered. These plants $ary in ability to tolerate
aridity and in yields under arid conditions& Choosing the right crops for arid regions
might in$ol$e considerable e,perimentation in a particular region' and' in fact' the
de$elopment of suitable production systems might require years& This should come as
no surprise& 1ati$e systems' as crude as they may appear' usually represent the
accumulated %isdom of centuries of e,perimentation& If this is so' ho% can one hope
to ma.e an impro$ement; The ans%er is often in the introduction of species or
$arieties un.no%n in the region& In other cases it is the introduction of technologies
de$eloped in other regions (see Useful Publications and Additional Resources#&
Return to C"1T1T/&
TA#"E 4. FOOD P"ANTS FOR DR5 REGIONS OF T&E TROPICS
#############################$#####################$#################
########
Scientific name | Common name | Degree of
Tolerance
$ $ %&'none to
('hi)h*
#############################$#####################$#################
########
CEREAL GRAINS: $ $
Zea mays $ Corn $ +
Sorghum bicolor $ Sor)hum $ +,-
Pennisetum americanum $ Pearl Millet $ .,-
$ $
GRAIN LEGUMES: $ $
Phaseolus vulgaris $ Common Bean $ +
Vigna unguiculata $ Co/0ea $ +,-
Cajanus cajan $ Pi)eon Pea $ .
Dolichos lablab $ 1ala Bean $ .
Vigna radiata $ Mun) Bean $ .
Phaseolus acutifolius $ Te0ar2 Bean $ .,-
Vigna aconitifolia $ Mat Bean $ .,-
Tylosema esculentum $ Marama Bean $ (
$ $
LEAFY VEGETALES: $ $
Symphytum officinale $ Comfre2 $ +
Manihot esculenta $ Cassa3a $ +
Cnidoscolus chayamansa $ Cha2a $ .
Moringa oleifera $ Morin)a $ .
Leucaena leucocephala $ 1eucaena $ .,-
$ $
R!!T CR!"S: $ $
Dioscorea rotundata $ White 4am $ +
Manihot esculenta $ Cassa3a $ .
Sphenostylis stenocarpa $ African 4am Bean $ .
$ $
VEGETALES: $ $
Citrullus lanatus $ Watermelon $ +
Cucurbita mita $ Mi5ta S6uash $ +,-
Cynara scolymus $ "loe Articho!e $ +
!belmoschus esculentus $ 7!ra $ +,-
$ $
FRUIT TREES: $ $
Carica papaya $ Pa0a2a $ +
Pouteria campechiana $ Canistel $ +
Psidium guajava $ "ua3a $ +
Spondias cytherea $ "olden A00le $ +
"lea europaea $ 7li3e $ +,-
Tamarindus indica $ Tamarind $ +,-
Zi#yphus jujuba $ 8u9ue $ +,-
Carissa carandus $ Karanda $ .
Dovyalis abyssinica $ Do3e Plum $ .
Punica granatum $ Pome)ranate $ .
!nacardium occidentale $ Cashe/ $ .,-
"puntia s00, $ Pric!l2 Pear Cactus $ .,-
Phoeni dactylifera $ Date $ (
$ $
!IL "LANTS: $ $
Pentaclethra macrophylla $ 7/ala 7il $ +
$elianthus annuus $ Sunflo/er $ +
%utyrospermum paradoum $ Shea Butter $ .
$ $
MISCELLANE!US: $ $
Catha edulis $ Khat $ .
#############################$#####################$#################
########
TA#"E 6. NON7FOOD P"ANTS FOR ARID REGIONS
#############################$#####################$#################
########
Scientific name | Common name | Degree of
Tolerance
$ $ %&'none to
('hi)h*
#############################$#####################$#################
########
FEED LEGUMES: $ $
&liricidia sepium $ Mother of Cacao $ +,-
Ceratonia sili'ua $ St, 8ohn:s Bread $ +,-
Prosopis s00, $ Mes6uite $ .
Leucaena leucocephala $ 1eucaena $ .,-
!cacia albida $ A00le ;in) Acacia $ .,-
!cacia tortilis $ Umrella thorn $ .,-
Par(insonia aculeata $ 8erusalem Thorn $ (
$ $
FEED GRASSES: $ $
Cynodon dactylon $ Bermuda "rass $ +
Digitaria decumbens $ Pan)ola "rass $ +
Sorghum sudanense $ Sudan $ +
$ $
FIER "LANTS: $ $
&ossypium barbadense $ Sea Island Cotton $ +
!gave fourcroydes $ <ene6uen $ .
!gave sisalana $ Sisal $ .,-
$ $
TIMER "LANTS: $ $
S)ietenia mahogoni $ Maho)an2 $ +
!cacia tortilis $ Umrella Thorn $ .,-
$ $
"LANTS F!R ALLEY CR!""ING: $ $
&liricidia sepium $ Mother of Cacao $ +,-
Cajanus cajan $ Pi)eon Pea $ .
Leucaena leucocephala $ 1eucaena $ .,-
$ $
GR!UND C!VER: $ $
Dolichos lablab $ 1ala Bean $ .
Canavalia ensiformis $ 8ac! Bean $ +,-
$ $
#INDREA$: $ $
Casuarina s00, $ Casuarina $ .
*ucalyptus s00, $ Eucal20tus $ +,-
Tamaris( s00, $ Tamaris! $ .,-
$ $
LIVING FENCE: $ $
&liricidia sepium $ Mother of Cacao $ +,-
%ursera simaruba $ "umo 1imo $ +,-
!cacia nilotica $ Baul Acacia $ .,-
*uphorbia tirucali $ Pencil Eu0horia $ (
#############################$#####################$#################
########
ANIMA"S FOR DR5 REGIONS OF T&E TROPICS
%y Ani,als8
In dry regions of the tropics %here agriculture is al%ays difficult' animals are
frequently more capable of utili(ing the often abundant plants that are a$ailable' and
many times can be fed %ith crop residues& 2hile some feed crops are gi$en in Table
6' the most important feeds in many regions %ill be those %hich gro% by themsel$es'
naturally and untended& /ometimes impro$ement of this natural fodder by fertili(ing'
%atering' or selected %eeding may be the best solution to increasing the yield of
animal feed& In addition' appropriate care of animals is necessary' and e$en poor
herdsmen are often $ery s.illed in raising animals&
Animals on the farm can be used for a %ide $ariety of purposes& In addition to
e,cellent food in the form of eggs' mil. and meat' animals ser$e as beasts of burden'
and can be trained to handle difficult *obs on the farm& The dung is a useful resource
for crop production but is also used in plastering %alls and floors' and %hen dry' as
fuel& Animal %ool' hair' or fur can be used in bedding and clothing&
Principal Ani,als and Teir Caracteristics
Cattle. In many arid regions the production of cattle might be the best %ay to ma.e
use of land& Cattle feed principally on grasses' but also benefit from legumes& They
are much less apt to gra(e or bro%se on shrubs than goats& They are $ery adept at
finding something useful to eat on grasslands' e$en during the dry season& Cattle may
be used for mil.' for meat' for farm labor' and for their hides and other by3products&
There are many breeds of cattle' often used for a single purpose' or at times ser$ing
for t%o or more main purposes' and some of these %ill be much more adapted to a
gi$en situation than others& Choosing the appropriate breed or strain of cattle %ill
al%ays be important&
The carrying capacity of land' the number of cattle (or' other animals that can be
raised on it#' %ill $ary %idely' and can determine the success or failure of a gi$en
$enture& Cattle may gra(e in open range or fenced pastures' but in either case' rotation
is necessary in order to not destroy the future potential of the gra(ing area&
Impro$ement of the gra(ing area can be achie$ed by the introduction of ne% grasses
or legumes' by fertili(ation' occasionally by fire (a ris.y process#' by .illing
poisonous plants' and by eliminating brush and some trees& /ome breeds %ill gain
more on a gi$en pasture than others&
/ince cattle raising is a capital3intensi$e effort (e$en the cattle represent considerable
capital#' a great deal of in$estigation and local .no%ledge is desirable before
embar.ing on such an enterprise& "n the other hand' raising the family co% is possible
almost e$ery%here and can be the foundation of success on the small farm&
Goats. <oats may be produced for about the same purposes as cattle' and their
smaller si(e ma.es them suitable for many situations& They are often gra(ed on open
range in arid regions& They are bro%sers (nibble at a $ariety of plants#' and sometimes
are better adapted to production of useful meat than cattle' especially in hea$y
shrubland& 2hile goats may be raised for mil.' the really fine mil. $arieties are not
%ell adapted in the tropics&
Seep. In addition to the %ool3bearing sheep of the temperate (one' there e,ist hair
sheep %hich are much better adapted to the tropics& In addition to their $alue in
producing meat' such sheep are often used to control %eeds in orchards' and thus
constitute a profit3producing biological control&
#(rros. The small don.ey of the drylands of the %orld is supremely adapted to li$ing
off the bro%se and meager feed often a$ailable' and for its si(e is surprisingly strong
and a magnificent beast of burden& 1ot to be laughed at' the burro can easily be
adapted to useful roles on the farm' including basic transportation and pulling carts&
Ca,els. This species is best adapted to $ery dry areas %here agriculture is $ery
limited&
The choice of animals for the farm in the arid tropics' and the techniques used to raise
such animals are $ery important' and $ary considerably from one region to another&
Feed Crops
After adaptation' no element in the production of animals is more important than feed&
4armers may be quite conscious of acceptable treatments in care and breeding of their
animals& They may not be a%are of the progress that could be made by impro$ement
of feeds' e$en though such ad$ice may be a$ailable through local agricultural
e,periment stations' e,tension ser$ices' or the department of agriculture& A first step
in impro$ing animal production should be to learn ho% farmers are feeding animals'
and the second step is to learn %hat feeding practices are recommended& A third
possible step' much more difficult' is to learn the feeding practices in areas of similar
soils and climates&
A ma*or problem in the production of animals is %hat to feed them during the dry
season& An efficient production system includes sol$ing this problem in ad$ance&
/ome of the potential solutions include0 dry season irrigation of pastures= restricted
gra(ing of pastures during %et seasons so that feed %ill remain for the dry season=
har$est and storage of %et feed as silage= har$est and storage of dry feed as hay' or as
seed' in the case of grain crops= culti$ation of feed crops adapted to arid (ones= and
migration to more producti$e areas&
"ne of the most useful possibilities for increasing dry season feed is the use of crop
residues& The $alue of such residues as feed $aries' and sometimes other substances
are added to enhance palatability or nutriti$e $alue& In a %ell3managed agricultural
enterprise of any .ind' it %ill be useful to loo. for such potential uses of residues&
Another solution to the problem of dry season feed shortage is to reduce the si(e of
the herd as the dry season approaches& The frequent practice of letting animals go
hungry cannot be recommended as good husbandry& Return to C"1T1T/&
$SEF$" P$#"ICATIONS AND ADDITIONA" RESO$RCES
(prepared by C!" staff#
Agroforestry Tecnology Infor,ation /it by The International Institute of Rural
Reconstruction (:>7 Ri$erside Dri$e' Room 8?97' 1e% )or.' 1) 8?887' U/A# cost0
@6>& Aits are also a$ailable as %ell from their headquarters in the Philippines0 IIRR'
/ilang' Ca$ite :88B' P!ILIPPI1/&
Agroforestry in Dryland Africa by Roc.eleau' D&' 2eber' 4& and 4ield3Cuma' A&
8DBB' ICRA4 (International Centre for Research in Agroforestry' P&"& 5o, 9?E>>'
1airobi' A1)A#& 988 pp& cost0 @98&??&
Crops of te Drier Regions of te Tropics by D& <ibbon and A& Pain' a$ailable
from Longman /cientific F Technical' Longman <roup UA Ltd&' Longman !ouse'
5urnt +ill' !arlo%' sse, C+6? 6C' UA&
EC&O9s Tecnical Note on Dry Far,ing by Randy Cres%ell' cost @9&??&
&alop: A Data #ase of Salt7Tolerant Plants of te %orld by Cames A& Aronson'
8DBD' "ffice of Arid Lands /tudies (The Uni$ersity of Ari(ona' B:7 1orth Par. A$e&'
Tucson' AG B7>8D' U/A#&
"ost Crops of Africa. ;ol(,e 4: Grains (1A/#' limited supply a$ailable from
C!"&
More %ater for Arid "ands: Pro,ising Tecnologies and Researc
Opport(nities and Saline Agric(lt(re: Salt7Tolerant Plants for De+eloping
Co(ntries. both by 1ational Academy of /cience (1ational Research Council' "ffice
of International Affairs' 68?8 Constitution A$enue' 2ashington' D&C& 6?:8B' U/A#&
"rder from AgAccess' P&"& 5o, 6??B' Da$is' CA D7E8>' U/A= phone D8EH>7E3>8>>&
Te Callenge of te Nege+ by Dr& $enari (5en3<urion Uni$ersity of the 1ege$'
P&"& 5o, 8?67' 5eer3/he$a B:88? I/RAL#&
Food fro, Dryland Gardens by Da$id A& Cle$eland and Daniela /oleri (Center for
People' 4ood and n$ironment' 9:: /outh Third A$e&' Tucson' AG B7>?8' U/A#& A
comprehensi$e handboo.&
Practical <uide to Dryland 4arming /eries0 Introd(ction to Soil and %ater
Conser+ation Practices< Conto(r Far,ing !it "i+ing #arriers< Integrated
Far, Manage,ent< and Planting Tree Crops by 2orld 1eighbors in Indonesia
(/tudio Driya +edia= Cl& Tubagus Ismail Raya 1o& 87= 5andung' 2est Ca$a :?8:9=
Indonesia# a$ailable at @: per boo.let from 2orld 1eighbors' :86> 12 866 /t&'
".lahoma City' "A >986?3BBED' U/A= phone :?7H>763D>??&
Seed So(rces for Arid "and Gardeners
/ee the chapter on /eeds and <ermplasm&
Infor,ation So(rces for Arid "and Gardeners
Office of Arid "and St(dies (The Uni$ersity of Ari(ona' B:7 1orth Par. A$e&'
Tucson' AG B7>8D' U/A#&
Te Center for People. Food and En+iron,ent (9:: /outh Third A$e&' Tucson' AG
B7>?8' U/A#&
Maricopa Agric(lt(ral Center (9>BE? 2& /mith3n.e Rd&' +aricopa' AG B769D'
U/A#&
Int9l Crops Researc Instit(te for te Se,i7Arid Tropics (Patancheru' P&"&
Andhra Pradesh 7?6396:' I1DIA#&
International Center for Agric(lt(ral Researc in te Dry Areas (P&"& 5o, 7:EE'
Aleppo' /)RIA#&
Dro(gt Defenders Pro=ect (!enry Doubleday Research Assn&' Ryton3on3
Dunsmore' Co$entry' CIB 9L<' UA#&
Arid "ands Infor,ation Net!or- (8>: 5anbury Road' ",ford' "J6 >DG' UA#&
Publish -5aobab'- a net%or.ing publication for those %or.ing in arid lands&
International Instit(te for En+iron,ent and De+elop,ent (9 ndsleigh /t&'
London' 2C8! "DD' UA= phone K:: >839BB3688>= fa, K:: >839BB36B6E= e3mail
iieddrylandsLgn&apc&org#& Publish the quarterly -!ARA+ATA' 5ulletin of the
Drylands&-
SEPASA" (/ur$ey of conomic Plants for Arid and /emiarid Lands' Centre for
conomic 5otany' Royal 5otanic <ardens' Ae%' Richmond' /urrey T2D 9A' UA=
fa, K:: B83996376>B#& Plant information database&
;ideo
"oo-ing After o(r "and: Soil and %ater Conser+ation in Dryland Africa.
(",fam Publications' cHo 55C' P&"& 5o, 8:DE' Par.stone' Poole' Dorset 5!86
9)D' UA= phone ?86?6 >87777= fa, ?86?6 >8777E&# A t%o3hour tape (M8:&D7# and
an illustrated BB3page boo. (MB&D7#= specify %hether you %ant the nglish or 4rench
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