Integrating Arid Areas in the Global Bioeconomy: Opportunities and Challenges toward Sustainable Biomass Generation and Management

Biosystems and bioprocessesare typically not connected to aridareas, where the produced biomass and its availability are low. Thereis however a large potential for arid areas to become major bioeconomicalactors via more localized biomass generation strategies. Indoor farming,bioengineering, and aquaculture have a great potential to be at thecenter of this transition. They are expected to address importantchallenges associated with food and (bio)materials supply and, ultimately,to climate and environment. Specifically, the utilization of the by-and coproducts deriving from these strategies could synergisticallyconnect into a range of circular processes toward sustainable bioproducts'supply and the greening of arid areas. These topics are at the centerof this perspective, where emerging biomass generation and managementstrategies in arid areas are introduced. The potential positive feedbackloops between their coproducts are then put in relation with the developmentof more diverse and thriving biosystems as well as the generationof a range of bioproducts. These approaches are contextualized withthe current and alternative energy sectors and water treatments processes,which have well-established economical portfolios across most aridareas. The mapping of innovative bioeconomical actors in arid areasand their synergistic interactions, as put forward herein aims tointensify research efforts toward a fully integrated and global sustainablebioeconomy. Sustainable greening of arid areas andlong-term carbonbiofixation via coupling of emerging food production to coproductsmanagement and valorization.