The structure of milk production in arid regions is reviewed from an eco-environmental historical perspective, and based on this, the significance of milk production in arid regions is examined from two points of view. The first is the problem of lactose intolerance, which is common among Asian peoples. Despite the fact that almost all Asian people are lactose intolerant, dairy diets have expanded, spread and taken root in the Asian region since BC. This paper examines dairy diets in arid regions in relation to lactose intolerance. The second perspective is that of the ‘human-livestock relationship’. In many East Asian monsoon regions, until modern times, the purpose of rearing herbivorous mammals as livestock was farming and transport, not meat and milk. Why is this? The relationship between humans and livestock is understood in terms of people’s views on livestock, and the dairy diet in arid regions is examined from this perspective.

Beans are the second oldest crops cultivated for human consumption after cereals. Each region has its own unique way of cooking beans, which corresponds to the bean-eating culture of that region. This paper describes the production and food culture of beans, mainly those native to Africa, as part of the bean-eating culture of arid regions.

Following the 2013 FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) report, the global spotlight turned to the use of edible insects as a sustainable food source. Among the various insects, crickets have attracted significant attention due to their low greenhouse gas emissions and successful large-scale farming in Thailand. This interest led to the emergence of cricket farming start-ups targeting consumers in developed countries. However, little effort has been directed towards low-income populations in developing countries where insect consumption is traditional. This study explores scenarios for social implementation of insect farming to contribute to local nutrition, based on the author’s experience as a project manager leading an insect farming initiative in Laos PDR. It focuses on rural communities in developing countries that are vulnerable to the adverse effects of arid regions.

Plants in the Capsicum genus are thought to have evolved to be pungent in order to protect their fruits from mold (Fusarium) or to be selectively eaten by birds, and this is the result of the survival competition in their respective natural habitats, including arid regions. On the other hand, we have clarified that the pungency of Capsicum fruits fluctuates due to stress such as drying.