Long dry seasons, massive rainfall: climate change has a significant impact on agriculture.
An expert advises farmers in the Munich district on how they can save their harvest balance despite climate change.
Ismaning
- Farmers are currently in turbulent times - and the loss of agricultural diesel subsidies by federal policy is by no means the only problem.
Stephan Hartmann from the Institute for Plant Production and Plant Breeding at the Bavarian State Institute for Agriculture (LfL) in Freising spoke in Ismaning about climate change and future strategies in agriculture.
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Stephan Hartmann (center) explained how to prepare your fields for drought or heavy rainfall.
District chairman Anton Stürzer (l.) and Ismaningen local chairman Michael Wagner also contributed their experiences.
© Gerald Förtsch
The expert's lecture to around 50 farmers wasn't about small details, such as dealing with dry phases or capricious weather.
Hartmann spoke about climate change, current developments and possible solutions for local agriculture.
His main advice to all farmers is to minimize the economic risk through diverse crop rotation and the constant use of the latest genetics.
“Diverse crop rotation is an insurance policy that can be used to mitigate losses”
He also received confirmation directly from BBV district chairman Anton Stürzer, who actually only wanted to grow spring barley and was not allowed to do that.
In retrospect, he was happy that partial replacement with other species saved the harvest balance to some extent.
For Stephan Hartmann, this is a pointer: “A diverse crop rotation is an insurance policy that can be used to mitigate losses.
But every insurance costs money and also work.”
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Around 50 farmers listened with interest to the crop production expert's lecture.
Many changes will come their way.
© Gerald Förtsch
New tasks for farmers
“In the past, these freak weather events didn’t happen so often,” said Hartmann.
And he warned that the usual security of yields could no longer be achieved with crop protection and fertilizer alone: “The old patterns no longer work.” The LfL expert sees new tasks for farmers, who will have to know their fields even better in the future and expect changes Not only in the area of climate change do we have to react more quickly and flexibly.
This means planning company-specific options for action for increasing production risks.
BBV district chairman Anton Stürzer noted that, in contrast to a craft business, agricultural businesses have to take risks in production much more clearly.
It depends on the floor
Stephan Hartmann indicated that farmers will get to know their areas more intensively, as soil differences become more noticeable, especially in dry conditions.
In addition, the increasingly smaller rain clouds make the precipitation event more local.
Areas with uniform soils, good water holding capacity and therefore continued good yield expectations will increase in value for agriculture.
The scope of these areas is limited and removal by sealing can hardly be replaced.
Opportunities for new types of crops in local fields
Hartmann sees opportunities for new types of fruit in local fields in the coming years.
The rapid and successful adaptation of soy, which until recently had not been cultivated, to regional growing conditions is an example of successful breeding.
Now it is an option to counteract noticeable climate change and expand crop rotations.
At the Freising Institute, previously proven species are also being made fit for climate change and new approaches are being investigated.
The speaker advises farmers to adopt a differentiated cultivation strategy that minimizes risk.
This applies to variety selection, crop rotation planning, but you should also think long-term when it comes to marketing.
One option is to conclude purchase contracts that are valid for several years.
This means you don't benefit excessively from price peaks in special years, but you do have medium-term security.