383its counterparts in other countries, and outputs should be shared with other countries
where relevant. Some crop varieties developed in India are finding their way into
other countries. Formal and informal trade in agricultural inputs such as seed, fertil-
izers has occurred between India and countries like Bangladesh, which could be
optimized by streamlining the procedures.
At the regional level, relevant SAARC Declarations should be implemented with
vigor. The SAARC Food Bank initiative must be implemented with greater empha-
sis and coordination to help poor consumers during food crises. The SAARC coun-
tries must collaborate in sharing knowledge and transferring technology as a
regional mitigation strategy. Similarly, the concept of the SAARC Seed Bank must
be promoted. Poor and marginal farmers should have access to better quality seeds
that can resist the vagaries of climate change.
On the whole, policies are needed to put in place programmes and resources that
make dryland agriculture more sustainable in the face of emerging threats such as
climate change, and that dovetail domestic policies with regional policies for a
better- coordinated effort to deal with larger issues such as food insecurity, climate
change and globalization of agricultural trade.
5 Conclusions and Future Research Thrusts
The South Asian region sustains the world’s poorest people, contributing less than
5 % to the world’s GDP. Agriculture is the main source of livelihoods in this region.
There is potential to enhance agricultural production in dryland agriculture with the
adoption of recommended management practices. These practices are location-
specific and involve knowledge-based management of natural resources including
soils and rainwater, agricultural intensification, INM, rainwater harvesting and effi-
cient use, and conservation agriculture. The efficient use of water, soil and farm
management practices in an integrated approach is both essential and a prerequisite
to making dryland farming more economical and sustainable under the increasing
frequency of droughts, reduced number of rainy days, and extreme and untimely
rainfall. Location-specific needs of soil and water conservation measures vis-a-vis
changing rainfall scenarios will better address water issues. Public–Private–
Partnerships (PPP) that create market links have proved successful in several water-
sheds sites and created win–win situations for all stakeholders involved, particularly
in India. Therefore, it is necessary to formulate a coherent set of guidelines to enable
governments and consortium partners to approach the private sector and begin fruit-
ful collaborations in PPPs. These partnerships need to strengthen market linkages
and value chains and increase investments by the private sector in watershed
development.
Field burning of crop residues must be stopped to minimize environmental pol-
lution; surplus crop residues should be moved into the soil system either as manure
or surface cover. Residue management must be taught at all levels, including exten-
sion workers and land managers. In addition, a region-specific, needs-based crop
Dryland Agriculture in South Asia: Experiences, Challenges and Opportunities