Eighty per cent of the world's agricultural land area is rainfed and generates 58% of
the world's staple foods (SIWI, 2001). The importance of rainfed agriculture varies
regionally, but produces most food for poor communities in developing countries. In
sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) more than 95% of the farmed land is rainfed, while the corresponding
fIgure for Latin America is almost 90%, for South Asia about 60%, for East
Asia 65% and for Near East and North Africa 75%. Farming systems in sub-Saharan..........................
