Soil salinity is a major constraint on agriculture in parts of the world often characterized by water scarcity, drought, and other unfavorable factors. Globally, 1.128 billion hectares of land is degraded by salinity and sodicity to varying degrees, with the Middle East and North Africa having the largest area of salt-affected land, or roughly 34 percent of the total. Other regions like sub-Saharan Africa and Central Asia also face similar challenges with agricultural productivity increasingly constrained due to salt-related stress. And such crop losses are expected to rise due to climate change impact and inappropriate water management. For instance, sub-Saharan Africa is estimated to have over 19 million hectares of salt-degraded land. As these regions are experiencing steady population growth and increased food demand, it is important to mitigate and manage salinity to reduce its effects on agriculture and, by extension, food security, especially in the face of climate change.
The webinar on “Best-bet Solutions for Salinity Management in sub-Saharan Africa” is organized by ICBA in collaboration with IFAD and BADEA, this event addresses the critical issue of soil salinity affecting agriculture in regions with water scarcity and drought.