1.
COMBINING CROP ROTATION, CROP
IMPROVEMENT AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES IN THE
DESIGN OF CLIMATE-SMART CEREAL PRODUCTION
IN THE DRYLANDS
Jacques WERY
DDG-R ICARDA

2.
The Dry Areas are big looser of Climate Change
26.3%
20.4%
16.5%
150 750
7000
8500
16000
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
Jordan Arab world World EuropeNorth America
Percapitaannualm3
Chronic water scarcity
Groundw ater level (m below ground surface)
Tel Hadya, Syria, 1983-2006
-110.0
-100.0
-90.0
-80.0
-70.0
1983 1986 1989 1992 1995 1998 2001 2004
Water resources in danger Drier, Warmer and more Variable
36.8%

3.
Crop and food systems are and will remain driven
by cereal production (especially wheat).
Breeding for Yield, Heat, Pests and Disease
30 % of the 22
millions ha of
Wheat in
MENA are
irrigated
Policies
Can we close the Production Gap?
How does technology enhance sustainability of
wheat-based agrifood systems ?

4.
Biotechnical innovations need to be assessed in a nexus …
SYSTEMIC
INNOVATION
NUTRITION
SECURITY
BLUE WATER
LABOR
EMPLOYMENT MIGRATION
NATURAL
RESOURCES
& ENERGY
… and combined with the proper policies and markets.

5.
We already have Climate Smart Crops for the
Drylands
Bread
Wheat
450
Faba
bean
Barley
100
Lentils
Rainfed
mm
Durum
Wheat
250
Chickpea

6.
Production Gap of cereals will not be
“sustainably closed” without food and
forage legumes in rotations.
Mitigation NRM
Nutrition
Value-Added

7.
Technologies and Institutions for “de-risking”
rainfed sustainable intensification
• Irrigated Intensified
 low production gap every year
 not sustainable under climate change
• Traditional Rainfed
 low input  no economic loss in dry years
 no gain in wet years
• Adaptive Rainfed Cropping
 Management and rotations adapted to soil and rainfall of the year
and markets
 Need more knowledge (bio-physical and socio-economical)

8.
Multi-scale Knowledge on Climate variability (spatial and
temporal) and Crop Responses (yield, water, soil carbon, pests-diseases…)
3 billion ha
International Agencies
1.3 ha
Farmers
3 million ha
Governments
300 k ha
Agro-Food industry
30 k ha
Advisors

9.
Towards a New CGIAR Interface to support Research
and Development Investments in the Drylands
Enabling
Context
J.Wery@cgiar.org
Climate
Change
Innovations