A groundbreaking international study shows that smarter water management can restore carbon, improve crop productivity and strengthen resilience across the world’s most fragile drylands, contributing to climate mitigation and food security.

Drylands cover about 40 per cent of the Earth’s surface and are home to 2.7 billion people but are losing carbon at an alarming rate with 344 billion tons already gone.

The study, published in Nature Communications Earth & Environment, found that water-smart strategies could dramatically improve ecosystem resilience.

Co-authored by Hackett Professor Kadambot Siddique, Director of The UWA Institute of Agriculture, together with international collaborators from China, Canada, Morocco, Pakistan, and Oman, the research shows by rethinking how we use water, these fragile landscapes can be turned into powerful carbon sinks. 

Professor Siddique said the study revealed efficient water management  could increase plant productivity by nearly 20 per cent and reduce water use by up to half, while healthier soils could store up to 3.8 tonnes of carbon per hectare each year.

Practices such as regulated deficit irrigation, soil mulching and diversified cropping systems not only boost water-use efficiency but also strengthen the resilience of dryland ecosystems.

“Australia is the driest human inhabited continent in the word and for Australia, this research is critical as our dryland farming systems face increasing pressure from drought and climate extremes,” he said. 

“These strategies offer practical solutions to boost productivity while restoring carbon in soils – helping farmers adapt and thrive.”

The findings align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and call for urgent action to implement water-smart agriculture, soil health restoration and inclusive governance frameworks.