Within the program "Agrometeorology at the service to the users" of Croatian Agrometeorological  Society, on Saturday, March 22, 2014., the second agrometeorological  workshop, entitled "Environmental protection and agriculture", was held in Dubrovnik under the sponsorship of the Dubrovnik-Neretva County.

The purpose of the workshop was to educate as many farmers with lectures on topics on the impact of climate change and extreme weather events on agricultural production, so the farmers can easily adapt to their influence and thus preserve agricultural production in areas with limited management conditions. Also, the aim of the workshop was to transmit  the obtained agrometeorological knowledge and information by its participants further in their community to the largest possible number of direct beneficiaries.

The workshop began with a welcoming speech by Višnja Vučetić, PhD., president of HagMD's. Following speeches were held by Ms. Sanda Desnica, representative of the University of Dubrovnik, Marija Crnčević, MSc., director of the Public Institution for the Management of Protected Natural Values in Dubrovnik-Neretva County, Mr. Mladen Bečić, president of the Community of Olive Growers and Oilman's of Dubrovnik-Neretva County, Ms. Erna Raguž Lučić, a representative of the City of Dubrovnik. Finally, Prefect of Dubrovnik-Neretva County, Mr. Nikola Dobroslavić opened the workshop and kindly addressed to the participants. This workshop, with all of our desires and efforts, we could not accomplish without financial support of the City of Dubrovnik and numerous co-organizers and donors.

We were pleasantly surprised by the participation of 40 olive growers, wine producers and beekeepers from across the county, and together with the speakers and organizing committee make a total of 68 participants. The workshop was divided into three sections in which lectures exhibited HagMD - members. Among them, Maja Žuvela – Aloise, PhD., from Austrian Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics in Vienna and a professor dr. Levent Saylan from the Faculty of Aeronautics and Astronautics of the Technical University of Istanbul were foreign guest lecturers, by  which  the workshop had took an international character. On 13 lectures, workshop participants were able to hear how climate change is affecting agricultural production, how Turkey is facing with increased evaporation and drought and how agrometeorological measurements and agrometeorological forecast can help farmers in their increased production. There were shown and defined  the endangered areas for agriculture on the Korčula Island. The impact of climate change on temperature sums, extreme soil temperatures and the occurrence of drought in Croatia was also shown. Likewise, there was a discussion about the basic features of hail and measures for the protection of the hail in Croatia. In the end, we could hear about the impact of the position of olive trees and irrigation on the yield and quality of Istrian and Dalmatian olive varieties, and about the impact of extreme climate change on plant nutrition and agriculture and how to adapt to these changes and to mitigate its consequences.

Participants were actively engaged in discussions after each section and amounted to the problems they face every day. Their contribution to the debate has greatly contributed in making concrete conclusions. The participants were very satisfied with what they have heard and suggest that more of such workshops should be held in their county.

In concluding remarks it was pointed out a few facts :

• It is important to establish a "two-way circular flow of information" between final beneficiaries, experts and political decision-makers, to establish the sustainable development of science and agriculture, which ultimately leads to the development of society.

• Agrometeorological information that farmers receive should be understandable, customized and easily accessible. Likewise, farmers must state their needs, so that scientists and experts could provide the required information.

•  Education of the farmers is important in order to enable them to reduce the financial costs of food production with the help of agrometeorological information and to mitigate the effects of climate change.

• It is necessary to establish a system of informing the public through announcements about natural disasters, as well as to increase the appearances of agrometeorological forecast in the media.

• It is necessary to strengthen cooperation among institutions.

                                                                                                                                         Petra Sviličić

Participants of the second agrometeorological workshop
"Environmental protection and agriculture" Dubrovnik, March 22, 2014.

Speakers and Organizing Committee of the second agrometeorological workshop
"Environmental protection and agriculture" in Dubrovnik, March 22, 2014.

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