The soils of the Arabian Peninsula in general and GCC countries are sandy in nature (low nutrient and water holding capacity, high infiltration rate). These soils need high inputs for crop production. To be cost-effective for agricultural production, these soils need careful consideration to improve resource capacity for better crop production. The use of soil amendments might enhance crop productivity in sandy soils and decrease the water consumption. Remote sensing techniques help to assess amendment efficiency for soil and crop production. Large agricultural areas can benefit from the current study and technologies might be transferred to other countries with similar conditions.
The aim is to improve crop productivity in sandy soils and decrease the water consumption through soil improvement using inorganic and organic soil amendments and assessing the efficiency via remote sensing techniques.
Crop productivity and diversification
YWSP Small Grants Program, FABRI, USAID Arabian Gulf University