By the middle of the century Ukraine is projected to reduce the yield of the main agricultural crops of Ukraine
According to the World Bank forecast, by the middle of the XXI century, under the influence of various factors, including climate change, the yield of the main agricultural crops of Ukraine, in particular, barley, corn, sunflower, will decrease. However, the yield of winter wheat in the North and north-west of Ukraine may grow by 20-40 percent by 2050 compared to 2010.
It is also predicted that the areas suitable for growing spruce, beech, pine and oak – key wood species in Ukraine – will be significantly reduced. With climate change, the threat of forest fires and the widespread spread of certain insect species is likely to increase.
“The temperature may rise by more than 4°C by the end of the XXI century, while winter will be wetter and summer will be drier, with significant fluctuations in different regions of Ukraine. It is predicted that by the end of the century, the southern steppe will have a sharp annual increase in the number of tropical nights and hot days. Rising temperatures in summer can lead to heat and increased aridity in the south and east of Ukraine. It is predicted that even with some climate mitigation measures, the number of frosty days and nights in the southern region will decrease,” the World Bank notes.
As UNIAN reported earlier, in May last year, the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and food of Ukraine, with the support of the European bank for reconstruction and Development (EBRD), announced the launch of a pilot project for irrigation of agricultural land in the south of the country.
In the summer, the ministry warned that problems with drought and climate change are acute not only in the south, but also in central Ukraine, so the country needs irrigation on more than 2 million hectares of agricultural land.
According to UNIAN