Climate change - supporting practical application
Every economic sector is called upon to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Although efforts and pressure in this regard are increasing, agriculture must prepare for climate change that is already unavoidable. The measures we implement today to reduce emissions will unfortunately only take effect in decades and centuries. We must therefore urgently reduce emissions and adapt our farms to the inevitable climate change.
Every business is affected
Climate change is already noticeable to everyone. This includes, for example, more hot days, higher evaporation rates, less favorable precipitation patterns, more frequent heavy rainfall events, heat stress, longer growing seasons, but also a higher risk of late frosts, increasing conflicts over water use, and the immigration of new species. These changes are disproportionately pronounced in the Alpine region and, unfortunately, are also to be expected. This will have repercussions that will affect every area of agriculture and forestry, and thus every farm in the entire production chain. Climate change not only affects soil and plants, but also livestock farming – directly and indirectly.
Act strategically
Vulnerability describes a system's susceptibility to or buffering capacity in the face of fluctuations and changes. Farming is characterized by a variety of parallel and interconnected processes—in and with nature.
This diversity and the interplay of many areas and activities inevitably mean that adapting to climate change requires considering the entire system. It is therefore insufficient to adjust just one aspect, as many components are interlocked. The entire farm, and the farming family as well, must adapt and evolve organically, step by step. This requires knowledge, time, and consistency. It also requires an openness to change and a belief in the future.
Agriculture is among the sectors most affected by climate change. It is directly dependent on weather and soil conditions. Therefore, research and advisory services have focused particularly on climate change adaptation in recent decades. Today, these findings are crucial for supporting farmers. We also need this knowledge to develop further adaptation strategies.
Very specific measures
In this podcast series, which also includes short articles in LANDWIRT magazine , we want to show farmers concrete measures for adapting to climate change. The topics will cover a broad range of subjects over approximately one year: from soil, management, and crop rotation to new seed mixtures and species; from ration planning to feed storage and new grazing systems; from cooling and ventilation systems in barns to dealing with new plant species and parasites. Let's embrace the challenges and walk this path together!
Click here to go directly to the podcast series Climate Change - How do I prepare on the farm??
