Climate factors that are proposed to determine less favoured areas (LFA) in Slovenia were analyzed for the period 1981–2010. Following the instructions of European Commission prepared by Joint Research Centre (JRC) 30-years averages of low air temperatures criteria (the vegetation period duration and sums of effective air temperatures) and aridity criteria (aridity index AI) have to be calculated. Calculations were additionally done using Slovenian Environment Agency (ARSO) method, which is slightly different when determining temperature thresholds. Only hilly areas are below the LFA low air temperatures threshold with the lowest located meteorological station in Rateče. According to aridity criteria no area in Slovenia is below the threshold, so meteorological water balance was also examined. Average water balance in the period 1981–2010 was in most of locations lower than in the period 1971–2000. Climate change impacts are already expressed as trend presence in time series of studied variables, so it is recommended to calculate trends and take them into account or to perform regular iterations of calculations.
COBISS.SI-ID: 8394105
Climate factors represent a major impact on agriculture and thus on payment of LFA. According to the proposal of the JRC the selection of climate factors that impact Slovenian agriculture production was prepared. The length of the growing season and the effective temperature sum were discussed. In addition to both meteorological factors phenological data and meteorological water balance during vegetation season and summer were analyzed for the period between 1981 and 2010. It turned out that if only the growing season and the effective temperature sum are considered, that only areas in the high mountains are part of the LFA. The analysis of the phenological data gave similar results - the restrictions occur mainly in the higher altitude.
COBISS.SI-ID: 8622457
The purpose of payments for less favoured areas (LFA) is to preserve and promote the production of the cultural landscape and the development of sustainable agriculture. Within the framework of research project "Climate basis as an additional criterion for the less favoured areas (LFA)" the most important climate variables that affect agricultural production were analysed. Temperature and drought criteria were analysed according to the instructions of the European Commission. The first one is based on the length of vegetation period and effective temperature sums, and the other is determined using the aridity index (AI). Data for the period 1981–2010 were analysed. The results show that these criteria do not rank Slovenia in the LFA (except hilly areas due to temperature criterion). Additionally, the analysis of variables that are important for agriculture was performed to help the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food with their decisions. An example of effective temperature sums for a very cold year (1997), the occurrence of the first frost by decades, and the number of cool and cold days were examined. Beside the aridity index, meteorological water balance, warm and hot days, and heat stress were analysed in the context of drought.
COBISS.SI-ID: 8396665