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How Climate Change Will Affect European Agriculture

The climate change is real, and its effects are becoming the most observable during the current decade. According to scientists, parts of Europe will be severely affected in the near future due to climate change. It is expected that farming activities may have to be abandoned altogether in these areas as a result.

Not only does extreme climates affect the harvest of crops, but it also affects the prices, production cost, and can finally lead to land abandonment. While the drastic climate change may seem like a boom for certain parts of Northern Europe, it will be deadly for most of southern Europe. And in order to avert this climate crisis, we must first understand how agriculture is connected to it.

Agriculture and climate change

Contrary to popular belief, agriculture is also a cause of this environmental degradation that leads to climate crisis. It produces various greenhouse gasses and damages the water content of the soil leading to loose soil integrity. Animal farming is another practice that severely damages the environment. So, the key to averting this crisis also lies in sustainable farming methods.

And we at Kelly Engineering are deeply concerned about the current status of agricultural processes in Europe as well. So, here are a few tips to help ensure that your farm is protected against the oncoming climate crisis.

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions

Farms are known for producing a massive amount of greenhouse gasses as a result of the usage of pesticides and fertilizers. Instead of the dependency on fertilizers to maintain soil quality, farmers can easily shift to practices such as crop rotation, and also put to use more environment-friendly energy for running the farm machinery. Not only does this reduce the dependency on fertilizers but it also allows for natural and more quality produce.

Less usage of fertilizers and pesticides provides multiple benefits to the soil, crops, and also livestock that graze on it. And, the reduction of fossil fuel-based machinery helps cut down fuel budget and ensures the longevity of the land.

Soil protection

One of the major damages that the climate crisis poses is the loss of soil integrity. And due to poor irrigation and tillage practices, most European farmlands already suffer from low-quality soil integrity. If you are a farm owner who is used to practicing old school tillage by removing weeds and stubble completely or burning them then it is time that you made a serious change.

Modern tillage systems are available throughout the EU and these can ensure that your soil integrity remains intact while also taking care of weeds and stubbles. We suggest the Kelly Tillage System with its disc-chain mechanism because it is adept for all types of farmlands and is extremely easy to operate. There are numerous dealers of Kelly Tillage systems across the EU so finding one should not be hard at all.

Reducing animal agriculture

Almost all agricultural farms in Europe practice animal husbandry to a certain extent. And according to recent studies, this is one of the primary causes of environmental degradation. As the food habits of the European region face a major shift, it is important that farm owners respect the necessities of the current generation and reduce animal farming. It can be replaced by raising whole grains and leafy vegetables that are high in demand and also replenish the soil. And if you are someone who owns a large animal farm then systemic grazing practices can also help you ensure soil quality.

Various governments are also enabling strict directions regarding animal husbandry and you should always ensure that your farm is adhering to such laws.

Final Words

The way in which we have looked at farming for the past century needs to be severely revised. Not only have we allowed various environment harming processes to go unchecked but we have also ensured that a constant process of degradation remains. By adhering to these three simple farming practices you can ensure that your farm is safe from the oncoming climate crisis and will maintain its harvest regardless of extreme climate.

The Kelly tillage system is one of the primary tools that you can use to protect your farm against any climate-related problems. Get yours today!