NENA soils are generally low in fertility, making agricultural productivity difficult without significant intervention. These conditions are exacerbated by rainfed agriculture, which covers 85 percent of cultivated land but receives less than 400 mm of annual rainfall. Irrigated agriculture, while vital, is limited to 30 percent of arable land and consumes 85 percent of the region’s water resources.

Small-scale family farms, which produce over 80 percent of the region’s crops and livestock, struggle with declining soil fertility, land degradation, and limited access to advanced technology. Unsustainable practices such as deforestation, overgrazing, and excessive use of agrochemicals contribute to widespread soil degradation. These issues not only threaten the region’s agricultural sustainability but also heighten food insecurity, as seen during the COVID-19 pandemic, when disruptions in global supply chains highlighted the region’s heavy reliance on food imports.

Our work in action

Implementing sustainable soil management practices is essential to address challenges caused by unsustainable agricultural practices, soil and water mismanagement, vegetation degradation, overgrazing, overcutting, and unplanned urban expansion in NENA. FAO practices include minimizing soil disturbance, maintaining ground cover with cover crops or biomass, integrating soil fertility management, and combining crops with trees and livestock.

FAO’s Near East and North Africa (NENA) Soil Partnership, established in April 2012, promotes collaboration among member countries to improve soil management. It focuses on sharing knowledge, addressing food security, enhancing carbon sequestration, combating land degradation, and promoting sustainable environmental practices. The partnership's regional actions are aligned with national priorities and reviewed annually at NENA plenary meetings to adapt to climate change effectively.