Livestock form an integral part of the farming systems of smallholder farmers in the dry regions of West Asia and North Africa, both as a food source, and as a form of financial security.  The number of animals per household increases in drier areas, placing added pressure on crops grown in this region.  This not only results in overgrazing, but increases, and accelerates, land degradation.  Thus the potential for cover crops should be at a premium due to the strong need for any forage, or feed source, that could support animal agriculture, and the need to protect vulnerable soils.  Despite this, cover crops are not widely utilized, a function of socio-economic issues such as land tenure, the long dry periods between growing seasons, and the lack of viable cover crop options.  To meet this challenge, ICARDA scientists have initiated crop adaptation studies, as part of overall objective to evaluate unique methods that will lead to the development of potential and sustainable cropping systems that improve soil health and crop productivity, as well as reduce the gap in livestock feeding.  This will include the use of forage scrubs, cactus, drought tolerant forages, and residue management.  An overview of current ICARDA work and initial results will be presented.