Irish farmers have been warned of more extreme weather conditions as temperatures are set to rise over the next century.

Summers are set to get 25% drier, leading to an increase in drought conditions like those experienced last year.

Senior meteorologist Seamus Walsh of Met Éireann highlighted the impact of climate change on farming in Ireland at the launch of the Climate Change Adaptation Plan last Thursday.

“We’re realistically looking at a 2°C rise by the end of the century, which is already 1°C higher than what we have,” he said.

“We’re going to see an increase of up to 50 to 55 days in the growing season, but we’ll have changes in rainfall as well.”

Walsh sounded a note of caution that the increase in growing season was not necessarily a good thing for farmers.

He said this could lead to crop stress and that a change in climate could also alter the way pests and pest resistance developed in the country.

He also predicted “an increase in intense rainfall in the autumn and winter that will give rise to greater flooding”, adding that slurry management could become an issue.

Extreme weather events

Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed was at the launch and said: “I don’t think that anybody who earns their living outdoors needs to be reminded of more extreme weather events.”

On the issue of potential changes to slurry management and dates of spreading he said that “obviously nutrient management is a part” of climate adaptation.

“I don’t want to say what the solutions are. I want to consult on them,” Minister Creed said.

The consultation process will run until 16 August.

People are invited to give their views up until that time and more information can be found on the Department of Agriculture website www.agriculture.gov.ie

Read more

Wetter winters will lead to slurry difficulties – Met Éireann

Live exports suspended as heatwave hits

Live weather now available on Irish Farmers Journal app