Record losses in Polish agriculture caused by drought may reach PLN 11 billion annually, posing a serious threat to the country's food security. Sources indicate significant declines in yields of key crops and an alarming reduction in water resources, which are the foundation of agricultural production. Experts warn that the lack of systemic solutions in terms of retention, irrigation, and adaptation to climate change could lead to a collapse of the Polish food system in the coming years.

Financial losses reach PLN 11 billion

The scale of losses caused by drought is estimated at PLN 11 billion annually. This amount includes direct crop losses and opportunity costs related to taking land out of production. Drought affects all regions, although its effects are particularly severe in central and eastern voivodeships.

Declining yields of key crops

Yields of basic crops, such as cereals, potatoes, and sugar beets, are systematically decreasing. In some regions, cereal harvest losses reach 30-40 percent compared to years with favorable weather. This threatens to disrupt the national grain balance and increase food prices.

Water resources crisis

Poland has some of the smallest water resources in Europe, and their per capita amount is constantly decreasing. Drought is accelerating the process of steppification of the agricultural landscape. Water shortage not only limits the possibility of irrigation but also threatens the quality and durability of soils, which are the basic capital of agricultural production.

Lack of systemic adaptation policy

Sources criticize the passivity of the authorities and the lack of a comprehensive, long-term strategy for adapting agriculture to climate change. Urgent investments are needed in small-scale retention, modernization of irrigation systems, and support for farmers implementing climate-friendly practices, such as regenerative agriculture.

Food security threatened

The combination of declining productivity, rising production costs, and extreme weather events leads to questions about Poland's future ability to ensure stable food supplies for its own population. Experts emphasize that food security is the foundation of state sovereignty and requires priority treatment.

Polish agriculture is facing one of the greatest challenges in its modern history: progressive drought and its devastating impact on crop production and natural resources. The financial losses generated by this climate crisis reach, according to the latest reports, as much as PLN 11 billion annually, which translates into a real threat to the entire agricultural sector and, consequently, the country's food security. Drought is no longer a temporary phenomenon, but a permanent element of reality that Polish agriculture must confront. A key problem is the drastic decline in yields of basic crops. Cereals, which are the pillar of Polish agricultural production, are recording losses of 30 to 40 percent in regions most affected by lack of rainfall. Similarly concerning are the results for potatoes and sugar beets. Poland, traditionally a major food exporter in Europe, especially for agri-food products such as apples, wheat, and poultry meat, built its position on the basis of stable production. However, climate change, including increasingly frequent and intense heatwaves and water shortages, is challenging this previous competitive advantage. The consequences of these losses extend beyond the economy of individual farms, disrupting the national grain balance and creating inflationary pressure on the prices of basic foodstuffs. The second, equally alarming aspect of the crisis is the state of water resources. Poland has one of the lowest per capita freshwater availability rates in the entire European Union, and this situation is worsening year by year. The process of steppification, i.e., the transformation of agricultural land into dry, barren space, is progressing, which directly threatens soil fertility—a capital that cannot be restored in a short time. Hydrological drought, i.e., the long-term shortage of water in rivers and lakes, prevents effective irrigation, which could mitigate the effects of soil drought. The lack of a comprehensive retention policy, both large-scale and small-scale, conducted on farms, is widely cited as a key gap in the crisis management system. The analyzed sources unanimously criticize the lack of a systemic and long-term response from the authorities. They point out that previous actions were ad hoc and focused mainly on compensation payments for affected farmers, rather than on investments in infrastructure that would prevent losses. „We need to stop just fighting fires and start building a fireproof system. Investments in retention, efficient irrigation and drought-resistant varieties are not expenses, but a necessary insurance policy for Poland's future.” — Agriculture Expert Urgent reforms are needed, including simplifying procedures related to the construction of retention reservoirs, greater financial support for farmers implementing carbon and regenerative farming practices, and the creation of a national strategy for adapting the agri-food sector to the changing climate. Without these steps, according to commentators, the Polish food system, based on high self-sufficiency, may face serious difficulties within a few years, which will have consequences not only economic but also social and political.

Mentioned People

  • Ekspert ds. rolnictwa — Cited in articles, speaks on the necessity of systemic investments in adapting agriculture to drought.