Climate change forces shifts in Polish agriculture and education

Rapid temperature increases are fundamentally altering the agricultural landscape in Poland. During a conference at the Technical School Complex in Puławy, Jerzy Kozyra from the Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation noted a sharp rise in temperatures of approximately 1.5 degrees Celsius between the last decade and the current one. This shift, linked to melting glaciers and ocean changes, is forcing farmers to seek crops with lower water requirements.

While corn has already become the third largest crop by area in Poland, experts suggest that sorghum may be the next essential crop due to its drought resistance. Other heat-loving plants, such as sunflowers and peppers, are also seeing increased cultivation. To protect crops from unpredictable weather, farmers are increasingly relying on artificial covers, including agrotextiles and hail nets, as traditional snow cover no longer provides sufficient protection against low temperatures.

In response to the psychological impact of environmental shifts, the Ecological Academy, organized by Teatr Ochoty and Anna Bolewska, is offering workshops to help educators support youth facing climate anxiety. The program combines ecological education with mental resilience training, utilizing methods such as Active Hope and Generative Somatics to help young people manage the emotional burden of the climate crisis.