Given rising temperatures, will we see crops transitioning from greenhouses to open fields, or will increased humidity necessitate indoor cultivation?
Alarm bells about climate change are ringing as frequently as raindrops fell in Norrland in July. These include floods in Bangladesh and prolonged droughts and extensive wildfires in Africa, the US, and Europe.
Places affected have often historically faced these challenges, but climate change tends to exacerbate and prolong these issues. Norran visited for the occasional series "A Gardener's Year" at the end of a July that was relatively cool and wet.
– From an agricultural perspective, July has been quite good. Many crops thrive in cooler, wetter conditions. Our soil is very permeable, so the water drains well and doesn't pool, summarizes Anne Sandlund, immediately adding a caveat.
– The wet weather has also encouraged weed growth, so we've spent a lot of time weeding. It's harder to kill weeds when the soil is wet.
The Sandlunds aren't worried about losing this year's harvest. Unlike the extremely hot and dry summers of 2014 and 2018, this year's weather has been more favorable, and their land handles rainfall well.
Anne hasn't noticed any major changes in their farming practices due to climate change over the past 15 years. However, like forest owners who monitor the spread of the spruce bark beetle, the Sandlunds are preparing for potential future challenges.
– Pests, insects, and invasive species like slugs would pose a significant problem for us. They could quickly devastate our crops, Anne explains.
Different crops would be impacted differently by varying climatic conditions, such as warmer and drier or wetter weather.
The rain has been so abundant in July that supplemental watering has hardly been necessary.
Anne points to squash, pumpkin, chard, and corn as examples of crops that can tolerate warmer temperatures.
– We could potentially grow greenhouse vegetables outdoors, she suggests.
Crops like thyme can thrive in drier soil, while cabbage and lettuce prefer more humid conditions.
Even though Ljusvattnet may not be the hardest-hit area by climate change, it's wise to be prepared.
– We'll likely need to adapt our growing practices, choosing different crops and cultivation methods in the future.
A longer growing season, new crop varieties, and multiple harvests per year could be possibilities.
– But we must also anticipate crop losses due to extreme weather events.
With increased risks of plant diseases, pests, and invasive species, it's crucial to diversify our crops.
– Growing a wide variety of vegetables and flowers is essential to mitigate risks and promote biodiversity, says Anne.
"If it gets warmer and sunnier, crops like squash, chard, corn, and pumpkin will benefit."
– The fact that farmers in other parts of the world are already facing the harsh realities of climate change should serve as a wake-up call for us. It's more crucial than ever to produce our own food locally, rather than relying on imports when global agriculture is under threat. We need to work together to combat climate change and increase local food production in the Skellefteå region, concludes Anne.