Agricultural development in the WANA region is mostly influenced by arid and semi-arid
climate which makes it the poorest region in the world in terms of water resources both
globally and on inhabitant basis. Although the region occupies about 14% of the total area of
the world (18.5 million Km2) and supports about 10% of the world¿s population (almost 600
million), it possesses only about 2% of the total renewable water resources (Zehni 1998).
2. By 2020, seventeen countries in the region will not have enough water to maintain 1990 level
of per capita food production from irrigated agriculture and meet industrial, household and
environmental needs (IWMI 1998).
3. Agricultural land resources in the region are both very limited and fragile; the arable land
(147 million hectares) occupy only 8% of the total land area from which about 24% (41
million hectares) were under irrigation in 1993. Desert or semi desert covers a staggering
70% of the total area, with 22% under pasture. The irrigated land is projected to increase to
about 51 million hectares, an increase of 24%, by year 2020(Sara, J. Scherr 1999).
4. Although the region is rich in indigenous plant genetic resources and is the center of diversity
for a number of globally important crops but most of its diversity is threatened by erosion
due to increasing agricultural activities including mechanization, urbanization and habitat
destruction by overgrazing and deforestation (Zehni 1998).
5. Despite affluence in some parts, poverty and food insecurity persists in the region and some
of its poorest countries are also the poorest in the world. Over 80% of the population live in
countries with an average per capita GDP of less than US $ 1.10 per day. More than 70% of
the impoverished people live in rural areas and largely depend on agriculture as a source of
income.