Water-efficient Agronomic Strategies for Drought-Prone Regions: A Review

Drought-prone agroecosystems are defined not only by low rainfall totals but also by high rainfall variability, elevated evaporative demand, and soils and landscapes that promote rapid runoff or unproductive evaporation. In such settings, “more water” is often less attainable than “better water use,” making agronomic strategies that increase the capture, storage, and productive transpiration of limited water central to climate-resilient food systems. This review synthesizes evidence on water-efficient agronomic strategies applicable to rainfed and supplemental-irrigation systems in drought-prone regions. Emphasis is placed on management pathways that shift water from non-productive losses to crop growth: conservation agriculture and residue retention; organic, plastic, and biodegradable mulches; soil physical improvement and amendments such as biochar; crop and cropping-system design including cultivar phenology matching, spatial configuration, and intercropping; and irrigation innovations such as deficit irrigation, partial root-zone techniques, and alternate wetting and drying in rice. The review highlights how agronomic interventions interact across soil–plant–atmosphere processes, why outcomes are context-dependent, and how integrated “stacked” practices can reduce risk while improving water productivity. Remaining knowledge gaps include scaling rules across soil types and drought regimes, the durability of benefits under multi-year drought, and the socio-economic constraints shaping adoption in smallholder and commercial systems.