the article is devoted to the study of the situation with the aridization of the territories of the South of Russia, belonging to the Caspian Sea basin. Arid lands are territories with an arid climate and a lack of water resources necessary for the implementation of productive activities within the framework of the agro-industrial complex (AIC). The factor of land aridity is one of the key negative factors for economically efficient crop production and the development of a forage base in the structure of animal husbandry. The main characteristic of these lands is the insufficient level of irrigation and moisture supply due to the lack of internal water and precipitation. In this regard, for the successful development of the agro-industrial complex through the use of these territories, it is necessary to search for and identify comprehensive measures and methods aimed at preserving natural production qualities through the optimal combination of environmental and economic components in the organization of regulation of the humidification and water supply system. This development of a balanced set of measures of an economic and environmental nature is aimed at preventing a further increase in the level of aridity and desertification of agricultural lands.