Poland faces agricultural drought risks and water retention challenges

Poland faces a significant hydrological crisis driven by drought and ineffective water retention systems. During a national debate on climate security, Professor Mateusz Grygoruk from the Warsaw University of Life Sciences (SGGW) emphasized that protecting and restoring wetlands is essential for food security and water management. He noted that wetland buffer zones are the only effective method for removing excess nitrogen and phosphorus from agricultural runoff to prevent river overgrowth and flooding.

Data from the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management (IMGW-PIB) indicates that agricultural drought remains a serious threat. Between March and August 2026, drought conditions affected approximately 39 percent of Polish municipalities regarding grain corn and 41 percent regarding silage corn. The most heavily impacted regions include the Opole, Lublin, and Łódź voivodeships. While the climatic water balance has improved slightly, uneven precipitation patterns continue to pose risks to crops such as corn and potatoes.