In most of its area of cultivation, durum wheat is facing water shortage. Climate change is expected to produce more frequent drought events. As a consequence, durum wheat breeders are now considering drought tolerance as an essential breeding objective. However, phenotyping still represents a major bottleneck in selecting for abiotic tolerance traits. Efficient phenotyping implies accurate i) definition of target populations of environments based on the performance of known varieties, ii) choice and characterization of the managed stress environment, iii) stress monitoring and iv) “secondary” (drought tolerance related) traits measurement. Improving drought phenotyping in durum wheat should take advantage of the new technologies developed to refine target populations of environments definition, precisely describe managed stress environments and efficiently monitor drought stress. This will permit establishment of a precise typology of target populations of environments based on drought scenarios, better predict adaptation of the tested germplasm, and finally increase response to selection. The utilization of geographic information system (GIS) tools and more integrative drought tolerance related traits assessment methods should be encouraged. The development of research networks among different partners and establishment of phenotyping platforms in the main durum wheat cultivation areas could simulate sharing of knowledge and experience and quicker evaluation of germplasm in diverse environments and facilitate dissemination and germplasm products, thus ensuring larger impact of breeding efforts.