Agriculture in Climate Change
The Alps are facing a continuous warming. Magnitudes vary between Alpine regions, with the south-west most affected and the north-east least affected. For the agricultural sector climate change implies growing concerns for soil erosion and water-related effects such as excess water due to intense or prolonged precipitation or lack of water due to drought. These impacts may cause substantial damage to soils by increasing soil erosion, reducing soil moisture content and water retention capacity. This may cause negative impacts for agricultural and livestock productivity and subsequent production losses. Adaptation strategies like sustainable soil, land and water management and an adaptive selection of crops represent viable hedging strategies against growing climatic risks and production loss. One key response measure suitable for the Alpine region serving both adaptation and mitigation is organic agriculture.