THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON THE YIELD OF THE MAIN AGRICULTURAL CROPS IN UKRAINE

Abstract

During the last decades, the climate of our planet has undergone significant changes, the main cause of which was the emission of greenhouse gases, which in the last century reached a record level for the entire history of mankind. This emphasizes the need to develop various tools for the adaptation of various spheres of human activity, including agriculture, to global climate change. The purpose of the article was to analyze the impact of climate change on the characteristics of cultivation and yield of the main agricultural crops. As a result of the research, it was found that significant changes in the temperature regime and amount of precipitation were observed in Ukraine during the last twenty years. An increase in the average annual temperature has led to an increase in the number of droughts and a decrease in precipitation in some regions. The dynamics of yields of the main agricultural crops in Ukraine, namely wheat, barley, sunflower and rapeseed, for the period from 2017 to 2021 were analyzed. Despite certain threats, climate change and shifting of climatic zones can bring positive results for the agricultural sector. Relatively warm winters, which allow plants to successfully overwinter, are a positive factor for winter grain crops against the background of a general increase in air temperature in recent years. As for sunflower – one of the main agricultural crops of Ukraine, its yield strongly depends on external conditions, market conditions and spatial distribution of precipitation. Therefore, the country’s agrarians must look for new adaptive strategies for growing crops. The conclusions indicate that climate change has an ambiguous impact on the agriculture of Ukraine. An increase in average annual temperatures and changes in the precipitation regime can contribute to an increase in yield in certain regions. However, on the other hand, increasing frequency of extreme weather events such as droughts, heavy rains and strong winds poses additional risks to crop yields. In order to ensure a stable yield, producers of agricultural products need to implement adaptation measures and monitor climate changes, which will minimize their negative impact.