Today, dryland areas worldwide cover 1.4 billion hectares, or 85–87% of all agricultural lands. These areas exist in arid desert and semi-arid regions across nearly all continents. Dryland areas make up 95% of agricultural lands in the Sahara Desert, 75% in the Middle East and North Africa, 65% in East Asia, and 60% in South Asia. Growing agricultural crops in these areas is considered a guaranteed solution to ensuring food security.