Climate change affects Swiss agriculture too: temperatures are rising, precipitation patterns are changing, and extreme events are on the increase. The KlimAdapt project explores current and expected climate risks, and develops scientific principles for the planning of adaptive measures such as the selection of suitable varieties for plant production.
Dry summers can see a loss of up to 25% of total Swiss roughage production. This is because grassland yields are strongly correlated with summer drought, as shown by a new analysis conducted by Agroscope and the Swiss Farmers’ Union.
The SwissIrrigationInfo project contributes to sustainable, farsighted water resource management by developing satellite and model-based assessment methods.
Crop yield potentials depend on regional biogeoclimatic conditions. Progressing climate change will lead to changes in regional suitability for the cultivation of crops.
In Switzerland, Alpine meadows can be considered the backbone of traditional livestock farming. At the same time, they can be viewed as the cultural landscapes that are usually associated with Switzerland, both by the local population as well as by foreign visitors.
When combined with changes in management, climate change causes shifts in agroecosystem functioning, which can either have positive or negative effects on the provision of different ecosystem services.
