Research Areas

Advancing Sustainable Agriculture in Saline and Arid Environments

ICBA’s research is focused on addressing the challenges of salinity, water scarcity, and climate change through innovative, science-driven solutions. These efforts aim to enhance resilience, productivity, and sustainability for farming communities globally.

Salinity Management

Approximately 25% of the world’s arable land is impacted by salinity, threatening the livelihoods of 1.5 billion people. This figure is expected to double by 2050. ICBA develops biosaline solutions to prevent, manage, and recover salinity-affected lands, ensuring sustainable agricultural practices and improved productivity.

Water Scarcity & Management

ICBA promotes innovative water management strategies, focusing on the efficient use of alternative water resources such as treated wastewater, saline water, and drainage water.

Areas of applied research include:

  • Irrigation efficiency and agricultural water productivity
  • Air-to-water technology
  • Precision agriculture
  • Remote sensing and GIS applications
  • Surface and groundwater modeling
  • Sustainable irrigation systems

Climate Change Adaptation

Climate change exacerbates challenges in saline environments. ICBA leverages advanced tools, such as big data and machine learning, to model and mitigate climate impacts, enhancing livelihoods and adaptive capacities in vulnerable agricultural communities.

Areas of applied research:

  • Future water and crop modeling scenarios
  • Integrated drought management solutions
  • Climate-resilient agriculture practices

Crop Innovation & Resilience

ICBA’s crop research focuses on developing and deploying stress-tolerant varieties to improve food security. Our innovations in crop diversification and controlled-environment agriculture ensure sustainable farming solutions.

Key research areas include:

  • Stress-tolerant and underutilized crop species
  • Controlled-environment agriculture, including vertical farming
  • Seed production and post-harvest technologies
  • Strengthening agricultural value chains

Soil Health & Management

ICBA’s work in soil management addresses land degradation by integrating sustainable practices to improve soil health and productivity. Our efforts focus on restoring saline and degraded lands for long-term sustainability.

Areas of applied research:

  • Organic and inorganic soil amendments
  • Land reclamation and agro-climatic zoning
  • Integrated soil, water, and crop management systems

Policies for Resilience

ICBA conducts policy analysis and socioeconomic studies to guide national, regional, and global decision-making on food security, water, and land management. By delivering evidence-based recommendations, ICBA empowers stakeholders to address challenges related to climate change, resource management, and sustainable agriculture.

Key areas of focus:

  • Socioeconomic assessments of agricultural systems in saline and arid environments
  • Policy frameworks for climate change adaptation and resource management
  • Capacity-building programs to integrate scientific evidence into policy development