Tanja Cegner of the Slovenian Environment Agency says the country can expect a rise of average summer temperatures in the future. This would eventually mean more drought and an unsteady rainfall distribution throughout the year. She added that the weather conditions Slovenia has been experiencing lately call for a change in farming. The only good solution, in her oppinion, is to harvest ground water sources when the rainfall and stream flows are high.
Stanko Kapun of the Institute of Agriculture and Forestry of Murska Sobota, added that a similar and fruitless round table took place ten years ago. He also suggested that the farmers should start using plant species more adaptable to the new climate conditions.
According to Hermina Oberstar from the Ministry of Agriculture and the Environment, many steps have been taken to help farmers overcome the impacts of climate change. These include a rural development programme through which EU funds for investments that would help diminish these problems.
Farmer Dejan Jakob stressed that one of the reasons why the resources for irrigation in the country are not entirely spent might be the long-lasting procedures of obtaining all the necessary permits.
At this point everyone present agreed that the legislation dealing with the field should be reformed.

Radio Slovenia International