The potential of cactus pear for dryland farming

Some refer to it as cactus pear, others as prickly pear, spineless cactus, or fig opuntia. Widely known in arid zones yet often neglected, Opuntia ficus-indica (OFI)—its scientific name—is a cactus shrub that could be a game-changer in dryland agriculture due to its hardy constitution and nutritional benefits. 

With origins rooted in Mexico,  OFI is highly valued for its adaptability to climate-challenged environments, making it a popular choice among farmers for food production and livestock feed. OFI offers a rich nutritional profile, providing essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Its cladodes (pads) are consumed as vegetables, while its sweet fruit is enjoyed fresh, processed into jams and juices, or fermented into beverages. OFI also serves as a dependable, moisture-rich feed for livestock, particularly in arid regions, helping to lower feeding costs and boost productivity. Additionally, it presents opportunities in bioenergy, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and bioplastics, further enhancing its economic value. OFI also thrives in arid conditions and poor soils, making it a low-cost crop to cultivate. It even significantly enhances soil organic matter, water content, and vegetation cover, ideal for combating desertification and soil erosion.  

"Amid climate challenges in dryland agriculture, opuntia ficus-indica (OFI) demonstrates remarkable adaptability and resilience", ~ Sawsan Hassan, associate scientist and forage agronomist at ICARDA

Huge potential, critical gaps 

Through an analysis of authorship, collaboration, publication trends, and citation patterns, the researchers uncovered an increasing number of publications focusing on OFI over the last two decades, underscoring the growing importance of the crop as an agronomic resource in arid regions. Out of the 518 research articles published in 109 journals reviewed in the study, the majority focus on OFI's physiological attributes, particularly its crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM), which enables the plant to conserve water and thrive in drought-prone environments. Many articles also explored the cactus pear's potential in animal nutrition, pest control, climate-smart agriculture, and biofuels.

The FAO-ICARDA International Technical Cooperation Network on Cactus (CactusNet) plays a significant role in the growing interest in Cactus pear by coordinating activities, sharing information, and fostering cooperation within the cactus research community. Despite this encouraging focus on OFI, the authors of the new scientometric study underline critical research gaps, including in agronomic practices, cultivar selection, wildlife interference, soil health, and economic viability. 

" By emphasizing its value as a nutritious food and feed source, its potential for sustainable agriculture, and its applications in biofuel, fertilizer and fashion industries, we can spark renewed interest in OFI among researchers and policymakers.," 

~ Mounir Louhaichi, ICARDA's Research Team Leader of Rangeland Ecology and Forages and a co-author in the study.

ICARDA at the forefront of OFI research 

Through ICARDA and its partners' research and testing of a wide range of OFI accessions in Jordan and India in recent years, the potential of the crop has become more widely recognized and understood, especially due to its potential for solutions for climate resilience, food security, and ecosystem restoration in dry regions. Yet the authors of the analysis call for more research efforts in critical areas. For instance, while the Nagoya protocol (an international framework for fair and equitable sharing of beneficial research in genetic resources) aims to facilitate the exchange of vegetative materials worldwide, the lack of clear regulations for OFI cultivation poses challenges. 

There is also a need to further measure and monitor the extent of OFI global cultivation, along with a quantification of productivity—both of cladodes and fruits—per unit area and age of the plants. Such data is crucial to maximize cladode and fruit yield and fully understand OFI's potential contribution to sustainable agriculture. 

The potential of OFI as a biofuel and fertilizer also needs to be assessed in more detail to provide researchers and farmers with evidence about its energy output compared to conventional biofuels and its long-term environmental impacts. Further study on its efficiency and scalability will lead to a detailed evaluation of the economic sustainability of growing OFI while considering the cost of production, market value, and prospective farmers' incomes. Last but not least, data and knowledge on pest management and soil health remain insufficient, leaving farmers to experiment themselves, constituting a risk for those with less available funds to invest in this promising but unfamiliar crop.

Expanding the understanding and cultivation of OFI