Lina Eklund
Katharina Lange

The Middle East has been confronted with a number of challenges that are severely impacting local food production systems. Rapid population growth, urbanization, armed conflict and changing patterns of food consumption are weakening domestic food supply bases, making the region increasingly food insecure and reliant on food imports (Kamrava et al., 2012). At the same time limitations in natural resource availability, especially water and arableland, are putting biophysical constraints on food production, and aggravating national and regional tensions. Thus, social, political and ecological factors interact in shaping complex and challenging conditions for local food production. To gain a more systematic and complete understanding of this multidimensional field, we argue, it is necessary to use integrated approaches drawing on qualitative and quantitative methods from different disciplines (Stock and Burton, 2011). However, multi-, inter-and transdisciplinary research can be challenging, and integration of different disciplines can be difficult to reach. This chapter explores possibilities and difficulties encountered when using an interdisciplinary, mixed-method approach for better understanding how crises may affect agriculture.[1]
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