IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON IRRIGATED AGRICULTURE

The changes and the problems which will happen in relation to climate change, and the measures to be taken to reduce these problems constitute the most important global environmental problem of the century we are living in. In Turkey, water is the most critical resource for agricultural ecosystems. Variations in water resources and the advent of drought or increased runoff have significant implications for the water supply and for agriculture. Changes in water resources associated with climate change and their implications for agricultural production are also important for future water resources planning and agricultural sustainable development strategy. Drought has been a recurrent phenomenon in Turkey for the last several decades. The drought occurrences have been generally closely related to a lack of precipitation combined with high temperatures. A warming trend beginning in the early 1990s has dominated almost a decade and the annual mean temperatures have remained above average since 1995. These droughts have greatly affected water resources and thereby the agricultural sector. This sector, upon which the country's economy depends, is the biggest user of water resources, with a 74% share. Thus, when it comes to sharing and efficient use of water resources, the greatest pressure is on the agricultural sector. The effects of drought on agriculture can be seen as changes in crop patters, irrigation ratios, water quality and water management.