Sustainable Crop Yield Intensification in Semi-Arid Environments
Summary
Semi-arid regions face acute challenges of erratic rainfall, depleted soils and smallholder dependency on staple cereals. Sustainable intensification seeks to close yield gaps while safeguarding environmental integrity and livelihoods. Progress hinges on integrated strategies: the deployment of drought- and heat-tolerant varieties, adoption of climate-smart agronomic practices such as seed priming and microdosing of fertiliser, and conservation of soil moisture through residue retention and minimum tillage. Mechanisation of sowing and weeding can further improve agronomic precision and reduce labour constraints. Dual-purpose crops that supply both grain and fodder enhance on-farm resource use efficiency and resilience in mixed crop–livestock systems. Economic analyses underline the importance of profitability and risk reduction to encourage adoption, while participatory extension models and decision-support tools help tailor interventions to local agroecological conditions. Together, these innovations offer pathways to boost productivity, food security and environmental sustainability across semi-arid landscapes in Africa and beyond.
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Sustainable Crop Yield Intensification in Semi-Arid Environments publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in sustainable crop yield intensification in semi-arid environments across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Dual-purpose crops: Varieties bred to provide both edible grain and high-quality fodder, enhancing mixed crop–livestock system productivity.
Microdosing: Precise, point-source application of small quantities of mineral fertiliser placed near the seed at planting to improve nutrient use efficiency.
Seed priming: Pre-sowing treatment of seed with moisture or biostimulants to hasten germination, strengthen early growth and synchronise emergence.
Climate-smart agriculture: Integrated approach to managing crops, soils and water that increases productivity, enhances resilience and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
Soil water conservation: Practices such as residue retention, minimum tillage and surface mulching that reduce evaporation and improve moisture availability.
References
- Dual‐purpose crops for grain and fodder to improve nutrition security in semi‐arid sub‐Saharan Africa: A review. Food and Energy Security (2023).
- Increasing Millet Planting Density with Appropriate Fertilizer to Enhance Productivity and System Resilience in Senegal. Sustainability (2023).
- Intensification of dryland farming in Mali through mechanisation of sowing, fertiliser application and weeding. Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science (2018).
- On‐farm seed priming and fertilizer micro‐dosing: Agronomic and economic responses of maize in semi‐arid Ethiopia. Food and Energy Security (2019).
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