Cereals continue to be the most important source of total food consumption in the developing countries where direct consumption of grains provides 54 percent of total calories and 50 percent for the world as a whole (FAO, 2006). Wheat and rice are by far the most widely consumed cereals in the world. Maize is a major crop for both direct and indirect human consumption because it is a major energy feed for animals. Wheat, rice, and maize make up approximately 85 percent of the world’s production of cereals.

As food and water needs continue to rise, it is becoming increasingly difficult to supply more water to farmers. The supply of easily accessible freshwater resources is limited both locally and globally. In arid and semiarid regions, in densely populated countries and in most of the industrialized world, competition for water resources has set in. In large parts of the drylands, no irrigation water is available – rainfed crop and pasture yields are both low and uncertain.

This book reviews the potential for increased cereal production in drylands across the world, from the USA, Australia and Southern Europe to Asia and Africa. It describes how improved water conservation, water harvesting and investment options can contribute to this, and suggests policies for the more efficient use of existing natural resources in order to lessen the dependence of agriculture on further irrigation development.