The transition of water-deficient regions to sustainable agricultural development requires taking into account natural, economic and social factors, and restructuring of the sectoral and territorial structure of agriculture. In the case of the Crimean Peninsula, the most important factor was the interruption of water supply through the North Crimean Canal (April 2014). Hence, there was a need to revise the possibility of growing crops in dryland conditions. It has become practically impossible to grow rice, soybean, some vegetables, potatoes, grain corn, pome and stone fruits, etc. Farmers were forced to review grain and fodder crop rotation. They stopped growing crops that required systematic irrigation. Given these realities, a special place in crop rotation should have such plants as pea, chickpea, lentil, sainfoin, etc. The studies conducted by Crimean scientists and experience in commercial production stimulated farmers to grow essential oil crops since they are among the most promising. Viticulture based on the well-developed agriculture and vine growing in favourable areas of the Republic is also promising. Some pome and stone fruits that demand less irrigation are very promising for the Crimea too. Special attention should be paid to filbert, jujube, sweet almond, hazelnut, etc. Considerable efforts should be made to develop animal husbandry. The search for water at depths of 1-1.2 kilometres should be one of the ways to solve problems in the agro-industrial complex (AIC) of the Crimea, as well as wastewater treatment and their use for irrigation purposes. All the aforementioned changes are already taking place in the AIC. But they require significant acceleration and investments in prospective economic sectors.