In recent years, climate change has become more pronounced and agriculture is starting to move north.
But will this give an opportunity to increase yields in the country?
According to statistics, over 10 years the planet is warming by an average of 0.18 C (the average annual temperature rises). In Russia, this process is even faster: +0.47 C in 10 years.
Gradually, this process begins to affect, including in agriculture. In many countries that were considered cool not so long ago, grapes and avocados are already beginning to grow.
In Russia, we are witnessing how the northern cold regions are gradually becoming agricultural.
For example, in recent years, the harvests harvested in Siberia have greatly increased.
In the north of Russia, permafrost is melting, and this makes it possible to plow new areas for crops there too. As for the central and southern regions, they experience milder winters, due to which winter crops are better preserved and give more yield.
A number of experts are optimistic about global warming.
Lee Hannah, senior research fellow at the environmental NGO Conservation International, believes that agriculture, which was previously limited by the climate, is now exempt from these restrictions.
She expects huge growth in agriculture, mainly in Russia and Canada. According to Lee, this is very important and timely, because by 2050 the world’s population may increase by another 2 billion people, and food will be needed by 70; more than today.
The flip side of the coin: what is global warming leading to?
At the same time, Dmitry Rylko, director general of Institute for Agricultural Market Studies , is not particularly optimistic about climate change.
Yes: agriculture is heading north. But at the same time, the situation is deteriorating in the south and in the center. For example, in 2020, due to drought, there was a record death of winter crops. The same misfortune often happens with spring crops.
In the center, as in the north, the problem of drought is not so acute yet, but global warming makes the weather unpredictable.
Tropical showers in the last couple of years have passed in many regions of Russia, where they have never been before — including Siberia.
And the vineyards in the south were suddenly beaten by hail, which is also completely uncharacteristic for the local climate.
The problem with grapes can become serious because the rise in temperature is bad for them. So the vineyards will most likely have to «roam» from south to north. And these are very big problems for manufacturers.
At the same time, there is a positive: since 2015, Russia annually harvests at least 60 million tons of wheat, which ensures its food security.
And in order to overcome the consequences of global warming, it will be necessary to fight for environmentally friendly production and develop climate independence in agriculture.
