Knowledge support for climate-resistant agriculture

May 17, Belgrade - In partnership with the Institute for the Science Application in Agriculture (IPN) and the Agricultural Extension Service Novi Sad, the first in a series of online educational seminars for advisors aimed at transferring knowledge in the field of climate change was held. The seminars are organized under the project "Strengthening Disaster Resilience in Agriculture", funded by the European Union and implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management. The project supports activities related to the strengthening of the institutional system in the area of climate change and disaster risk management, and the application of climate-resistant agriculture in Serbia.

Modern food production implies understanding of the risks and impacts of climate change, as well as knowing the measures and solutions that can be applied in order to better respond to agricultural climate risks. Knowledge is the answer to the challenges of climate change in the field of agriculture and food production, and the network of advisors in agriculture is making a mechanism to pass that knowledge on. The seminar gathered 304 participants, highlighting the relevance of the presented topic.

At the first training, lecturers – professors from the Faculty of Agriculture in Belgrade, presented solutions for adaptation to climate change, starting from small interventions and harmonization of sowing dates, and progressing towards the changes in cultivation technology, sustainable irrigation and insurance systems. At the beginning, Mirjam Vujadinovic Mandic referred to the assessments of exposure and risk of climate change and extreme weather conditions in agricultural production; as well as the conservation of natural resources, mitigation and adaptation measures as activities in the fight against climate change. In the follow up, Vladimir Ciric provided projections of the state of Serbia's response to climate change by 2100, including the expected impact of climate change on soil properties, agriculture and vegetation. In the final part of the training, Ruzica Stricevic presented practical measures that would contribute to agriculture being resilient / adaptable to climate change, as well as investment policy proposals in this area.

Continuation of education will be performed in the coming months, primarily through practical training on reduced land cultivation, implementation of measures in livestock and milk production and new funds for agro-climate measures.