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Supporting Agricultural Production and Ecosystems Services under the prism of Climate Change.

The project “Supporting Agricultural Production and Ecosystems Services under the prism of Climate Change ” will contribute to maintaining and enhancing the income of the rural areas of the Central Macedonia Region, both through the enhancement of agricultural production and through the protection of biodiversity, which is inextricably linked to the strengthening of the agro-tourism-ecosystem profile of these areas.

Agriculturalproductionpresupposesthe existence of sufficient quantities of water and energy, in order to ensure the production of the required quantities of food. At the same time, the development of most of the agro-tourism areas of the Region of Central Macedonia is directly linked to the protection of the ecosystems and the biodiversity that lives in them.

The study of the tripartite water – energy – food is important, especially in rural areas and in addition, it has been recognized by the United Nations Organization, which predicts an increase in the demand for water by 30%, in energy by 45% and in food by 50%, globally, by 2030. The inextricable interconnection of these three (3) sectors is known as the water-energy-food nexus. In this project, the above triptych is investigated and in addition, the ecosystem sector is added, due to its important role in the agro-tourism development of the PKK.

From the above, it can be understood that the requirement of continuous satisfaction of the tripartite water – energy – food in the rural areas and the promotion of the agro-tourism areas of the PKK are expected to become increasingly difficult, with the resulting adverse effects on agricultural production and, by extension, on agricultural income be already apparent.

The main expected result of the project concerns the development of a computational tool, the use of which is necessary in all rural areas and which ensures the adequacy of agricultural production and the maintenance of ecosystem services under the lens of climate change. The computational tool will consist of the following six (6) individual interrelated tools:

  • 1) Geographical Database in a Geographical Information System –
  • 2) Forecasting system of future extreme weather phenomena –
  • 3) Hydrological models and satellite observations for monitoring and forecasting future quantitative and qualitative characteristics of water resources used for irrigation –
  • 4) Agronomic model and satellite observations for monitoring and forecasting future agricultural production –
  • 5) Mathematical model for monitoring and forecasting the future state of ecosystem conservation –
  • 6) Economic model for the analysis of current and future projected agricultural activities and ecosystem services.

The integrated computing tool is a Decision Support System (DSS), which suggests the best farming practices, through the promotion of specific types of crops, which will be resistant to future climate and water conditions as well as profitable for producers. The recommended best practices will have a short-term (2020-2025), medium-term (2025-2035) and long-term (2035-2050) time horizon and will contribute to maintaining high agricultural productivity, increasing the incomes of farmers and agro-tourism areas, sustainable management of natural resources and the reduction of consumed energy, in accordance with national and European policies.

PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION DURATION: 37 Months (26/6/2025)

TOTAL COST OF THE OPERATION: €390,000