Water scarcity is a major issue in the hot climate countries including the GCC region where total evapotranspiration is less than the total precipitation. These countries rely on non-conventional water resources such as costly desalinated water, saline ground water and treated sewage effluent to meet their requirements for agriculture and urban landscapes. To be sustainable for agriculture production for food security it is essential to be self-sufficient within national boundaries, which is not the case with water scarce countries, where the food deficit is met through import and heavy investments. Increasing local food production within national boundaries should be considered a top priority for two reasons, to save financial resources and to have locally available food with quality control. Expansion of agriculture in these countries is not a viable option due to degradation of land resources and water scarcity. Any method which intensifies agriculture and saves water should be taken as a priority. This is possible through adopting water saving technologies and improving soil health to increase nutrient and moisture holding capacities, such as, but not necessarily limited to the use of organic and inorganic soil amendments. Considering these deficiencies in agriculture production and urban landscape management, two trials were initiated, 1) forage intensification and 2) urban landscape management by using soil amendments such AustraBlend®Multi Mineral Root Zone Conditioner (ABMMRZC) alone and in combinations with green compost and biochar using deficit irrigation. ABMMRZC is mined from Australia, it is original and rich in nontronite clay minerals having the high cation-exchange-capacity to attract nutrients and moisture. Greenhouse pot trials revealed that ABMMRZC has the potential to intensify fresh barley biomass production at deficit irrigation (50% ETc). Notably, the fresh biomass with ABMMRZC application at 50% ETc is 39% greater than the control or higher than fresh biomass obtained at 100% ETc without ABMMRZC application. Similarly a trial on grassy landscape (Paspalum vaginatum) has confirmed over three times fresh biomass production with the application of 10 tons ABMMRZC per hectare and thus guaranteeing 50% water saving. The efficiency of ABMMRZC was further confirmed through structure development in grass root zone resulting in reduced bulk density from 1.56 g/cm3 (native sandy soil) to 1.25 g/cm3 with ABBMMRZC application. The results support ABMMRZC as an added value in agricultural intensification and sustainable management of urban landscapes in water scarce countries. It is a water saving material as well as containing macro (NPK) and micronutrient (Fe, Cu, Mn, Zn).
