Water-limited crop yield (no further updates)

Description

Yields of several rainfed crops are levelling off (e.g. wheat in some European countries) or decreasing (e.g. grapes in Spain), whereas yields of other crops (e.g. maize in northern Europe) are increasing. These changes are attributed partly to observed climate change, in particular warming.
Extreme climatic events, including droughts and heat waves, have negatively affected crop productivity in Europe during the first decade of the 21st century.
Future climate change could lead to both decreases and increases in average yield, depending on the crop type and the climatic and management conditions in the region. There is a general pattern of projected increases in productivity in northern Europe and reductions in southern Europe, but with differences between crop types.
Projected increases in extreme climatic events are expected to increase crop yield variability and to lead to yield reductions in the future throughout Europe.

Reference information

Websites:

https://www.eea.europa.eu/ds_resolveuid/IND-181-en

Source:

EEA

Published in Climate-ADAPT Jun 7, 2016 - Last Modified in Climate-ADAPT Dec 12, 2023

Date of publication:

2017

Keywords:

CLIM032, drought, farming practices, heat wave, land management

Climate impacts:

Droughts, Extreme Temperatures, Water Scarcity

Adaptation Approaches:

Climate services, Observations and Scenarios

Sectors:

Agriculture, Water management

Geographic characterisation:

Europe

Macro-Transnational region:

Adriatic-Ionian, Alpine Space, Atlantic Area, Baltic Sea, Central Europe, Danube Area, Mediterranean (Euro-Med), North West Europe, North Sea, Northern Periphery and Arctic, South West Europe, Black Sea Basin (NEXT), Mediterranean Sea Basin (NEXT)