Area expansion
Due to other agricultural and non-agricultural uses, an increased area of productive agricultural lands is not likely to be available for wheat production. Thus, any increased land area for wheat will, of necessity, come from the use of more marginal or non-traditional areas. Improved cultivars and cultural techniques have been under development by plant breeders and agronomists for several years to allow wheat to be grown under more adverse conditions, such as in acid and saline soils, with greater heat tolerance and in more tropical environments. Considerable progress has been achieved toward these improvements, but further research will be necessary to ensure stable wheat production under the more difficult environments required for area expansion.
Social and economic incentives that encourage farmers to adopt progressive agricultural technologies are also necessary. Since most potential farmers in non-traditional areas operate at a subsistence level, new agricultural technologies must be profitable. In most countries, the establishment of government programmes to facilitate adequate distribution of inputs to farmers and delivery of their increased production to the market will be necessary.