NewsWorldKey weeks to save crops from winter drought in Europe

Key weeks to save crops from winter drought in Europe

Part of Europe suffers an unprecedented winter drought.

The water level in the reservoirs in the south of France has dropped so much that their indicators, usually submerged, have been exposed. Farmers fear the worst if it doesn’t rain soon. No proper rain has fallen in the country for a month.

Italian rice in danger

In Italy, the Po River and Lake Garda are as low as they are in midsummer.

The worst drought in seventy years and little change forecast on the horizon puts thousands of crops at risk in the cereal planting season.

The alarm about the lack of soil moisture has spread throughout the south of the continent, from Spain to Turkey.

A repeating pattern

“What is really unusual is the recurrence of these events,” says Andrea Toreti, from the European Drought Observatory. “Because we experienced severe to extreme drought a year ago and also in 2018. What is unprecedented is the repetition of this pattern.”

The next few weeks will be key. In the north of the country, much of last summer’s rice production was affected. Now they try to prevent the damage from being repeated.

“In the rice sector they are testing an innovative program of management strategies to use water in a completely different way and avoid those peaks during the period when other sectors also need water. Adaptation is crucial,” says Toreti.

despite the floods

Recent storms and flooding may give a false impression.

The studies carried out indicate that the groundwater level is low and the situation in Europe is precarious.

The challenge now is to find new ways to treat resources sustainably.

Source: Euronews Español

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