MINSK, 26 February (BelTA) – It is necessary to adapt Belarusian agriculture to climate change, BelTA learned from Svetlana Kuzmich, Deputy Head of the National Center for Hydrometeorology, Radioactive Contamination Control, and Environmental Monitoring (Belhydromet), on 26 February.
The official said: “It is the first winter on our records that is so warm. For the first time ever the average seasonal temperature in Belarus in winter has been above zero. Our winter crops have lived through the winter in a satisfactory state but agriculture feels climate change. Adaptation is necessary. For instance, it is recommended that peat lands, swamps, forests, and meadows should be preserved. It is possible to resume swamp formation, revive arable farming mixed with forest plantation. Certainly, it is necessary to revise the choice of crops, the timing of sowing and harvesting operations.”
Deputy Director for Scientific Work of the Soil Science and Agrochemistry Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus (NASB), Doctor of Agricultural Sciences Nikolai Tsybulko also believes it is necessary to tweak the main components of the farming system in the country. In particular, in his opinion, it is necessary to change the structure of areas under crops, seed more winter crops and interplanted crops, and start growing warm-weather crops.
Speaking about the effect of climate change on Belarusian forestry industry, Deputy Head of the Forestry Industry Office of the Belarusian Forestry Ministry Viktor Zvertovsky noted that the effect has been insignificant in the last 25 years. It was mainly manifested in coniferous forests. However, the ministry has worked out a number of documents and measures to adapt the country's forestry industry to the global climate change.
