Rainfed Agriculture

Unlocking the Potential

S Wani, J Röckstorm and T Oweis

Hardback

January 2009

9781845933890

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$230.60

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Rainfed agriculture is generally overlooked by development investors, researchers and policy makers due to limited confidence in its ability to increase agricultural production and development. However, research undertaken by a team of leading scientists from global organizations demonstrates its potential in achieving food security, improving livelihoods and most importantly addressing issues of equity and poverty reduction in dryland areas - the hot spots of poverty.

On the basis of case studies from varied agricultural and ecological regions in Asia and Africa, chapters discuss the need for adopting new paradigms between rainfed and irrigated agriculture, catchment/micro-watershed management approaches, upgrades in science-based development and more investments in rainfed areas. Yield gaps for major rainfed crops are analyzed globally and possible ways and means including technological, social, and institutional options to bridge the yield gaps are discussed in detail. Covering areas such as rainwater harvesting and its efficient use, the rehabilitation of degraded land and assessment methods for social, environmental and economic impacts, this book will be necessary for both academics and policy makers working in water management, agriculture and sustainable development.

"...the book presents important contributions towards a more efficient capture and use of rainfall, with a major focus on engineering and agronomic practices, but also elaborating on the necessary genetic enhancement."
David Midmore - , Experimental Agriculture

1.Rain-fed agriculture - Past trend and future prospects 2. Zooming in on a global hotspots 3. Water resource implications - green and blue water trade-offs 4. Land degradation implications 5. Determinants of yield growth and constraints (including Hydro - climatic determinants) 6. Yield gap analysis - Modeling achievable yields at the farm level 7. Opportunities of upgrading rain-fed agriculture - a systems analysis 8. Opportunities for improving crop-water productivity through genetic enhancement of dryland crops 9. Opportunities for water harvesting in arid areas for improving rain-fed agriculture through supplemental irrigation 10. Opportunities for water harvesting in semi-arid areas for improving rain-fed agriculture through supplemental irrigation 11. Integrated farm management practices and up scaling the impact for increased productivity of rainfed systems 12. Challenges of adoption and adaptive management (building on case studies) 13. Up scaling socioeconomic impacts of rain-fed agriculture 14. Synthesis - how far can rain-fed agriculture go in securing food in 2025? 15. Conclusions and future research needs