A tractor towing a seeder. (source: TASR)
Drought induced by climate change will afftect agriculture in Slovakia.
According to a new Institute of Environmental Policy (IEP) analysis, the most endangered area in the country will be the Žitný Ostrov island, spanning the southern parts of Bratislava, Trnava and Nitra Regions. Žitný Ostrov, also the biggest river island in Europe, contains Slovakia's largest reserves of drinking water.
IEP analysts say that Žitný Ostrov is an extremely important agriculture area. That is why it has been mostly deforested. However, that is also why the risk is so high when it comes to drought.
Even villages connected to the water supply will suffer problems. Not to mention that there are villages in the area that are not connected.
When it comes to specific districts, Bratislava districts II (Ružinov) and V (Petržalka), as well as Senec in the south-west of the country, are at the most high risk of drought. Although lower, a few districts in the south-east of Slovakia also run the risk of drought.
On the other hand, districts such as Námestovo, Dolný Kubín, and Čadca in the north Slovakia are among the least endangered. And even though some villages, for example in the Námestovo district, are not entirely connected to the water supply, the amount of greenery and humidity levels have a positive effect in terms of reducing the risk of drought.
The analysts point out that in the future districts like Revúca, Poltár and Rimavská Sobota in the south-central Slovakia will experience the most dry days in any given year. That is why future investments should take this into account.
