Factors Influencing Adoption of Rangeland Rehabilitation Technologies by Agro pastoralists in the Arabian Peninsula: Evidence from Analysis in Saudi Arabia and Qatar

Abstract

In the Arabian Peninsula (AP), rangeland ecosystems, which cover about 50% of the total area, are severely degraded due to the combined effects of overgrazing and harsh environmental conditions (Ouled Belgacem et al., 2013). The limited arable land and water scarcity constitute the main challenges of the growth of AP agriculture. With the limited potential for the agriculture sector, optimizing the use of these limited resources for technology transfer in agricultural development while sustainably managing natural resources is one of the biggest challenges facing any decisionmaker including the end-users and growers. it is within this framework that ICARDA in collaboration with the National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS) has developed and introduced different technologies on rangelands rehabilitation including resting, planting native range species, and water harvesting in different countries of the AP such as Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia (KSA) and Yemen. These technologies have increased the rangeland productivity, rainwater use efficiency, and the resilience of the livelihood of some pilot livestock owners. However, the dissemination at a larger scale and the adoption of these technologies by end-users were not evaluated.