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Sustainable Agriculture in the Arabian/Persian Gulf Region Utilizing Marginal Water Resources: Making the Best of a Bad Situation

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  • J. Jed Brown

    (Center for Sustainable Development, College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University, P.O. Box 2713, Doha 2713, Qatar)

  • Probir Das

    (Center for Sustainable Development, College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University, P.O. Box 2713, Doha 2713, Qatar)

  • Mohammad Al-Saidi

    (Center for Sustainable Development, College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University, P.O. Box 2713, Doha 2713, Qatar)

Abstract

One way to encourage agricultural self-sufficiency in arid regions is to increase the productivity of conventional freshwater agriculture. Another way is to develop and implement novel strategies and technologies that do not deplete scarce freshwater. Here we describe several options for countries in the Gulf region to increase their agricultural production by taking advantage of a lesser used resource—marginal water. Marginal water can be treated sewage effluent, produced oilfield water, brackish groundwater or seawater. We describe how this resource can be used to grow salt-tolerant forage crops, microalgae and aquaculture crops. Policies needed to implement and/or scale-up such practices are also outlined.

Suggested Citation

  • J. Jed Brown & Probir Das & Mohammad Al-Saidi, 2018. "Sustainable Agriculture in the Arabian/Persian Gulf Region Utilizing Marginal Water Resources: Making the Best of a Bad Situation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-16, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:5:p:1364-:d:143586
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Abdulaziz I. Almulhim, 2024. "Toward a Greener Future: Applying Circular Economy Principles to Saudi Arabia’s Food Sector for Environmental Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-22, January.
    3. Jawed Mustafa & Fahad Awjah Almehmadi & Saeed Alqaed & Mohsen Sharifpur, 2022. "Building a Sustainable Energy Community: Design and Integrate Variable Renewable Energy Systems for Rural Communities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-21, October.
    4. Ahsan Ali & Yaseen A. Al-Mulla & Yassine Charabi & Ghazi Al-Rawas & Malik Al-Wardy, 2021. "Satellite-Based Water and Energy Balance Model for the Arid Region to Determine Evapotranspiration: Development and Application," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-22, November.
    5. Amjad Aliewi & Jasim Al-Kandari & Asim Al-Khalid & Harish Bhandary & Habib Al-Qallaf, 2021. "Modelling the effect of high level of total dissolved solids (TDS) for the sustainable utilization of brackish groundwater from saline aquifers in Kuwait," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(2), pages 2204-2223, February.
    6. Hamzeh F. Assous & Hazem AL-Najjar & Nadia Al-Rousan & Dania AL-Najjar, 2023. "Developing a Sustainable Machine Learning Model to Predict Crop Yield in the Gulf Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-21, June.
    7. Abdul Hameed & Sadiq Hussain & Aysha Rasheed & Muhammad Zaheer Ahmed & Sahar Abbas, 2024. "Exploring the Potentials of Halophytes in Addressing Climate Change-Related Issues: A Synthesis of Their Biological, Environmental, and Socioeconomic Aspects," World, MDPI, vol. 5(1), pages 1-22, January.
    8. Shannak, Sa'd, 2022. "Optimizing dynamics of water-energy-food nexus in a desert climate," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 164(C).
    9. Hasanov, Fakhri J. & Shannak, Sa'd, 2020. "Electricity incentives for agriculture in Saudi Arabia. Is that relevant to remove them?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).

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