“I’m not ready to change jobs,” says Stellios Boutaris, a wine producer with vineyards in Naoussa and Amyndeon in northern Greece, as well as on the island of Santorini. But he adds, “We can’t do things the way our fathers did.”
Boutaris is determined to keep producing wine in the region and maintain the family business, but he notes that “the outlook isn’t good” as the climate crisis puts pressure on producers across the Mediterranean.
As head of the Kir-Yianni wine producers’ group, Boutaris is one of thousands of farmers in southern Europe fighting to continue farming land their ancestors have worked for decades or even centuries. They face increasingly extreme weather, such as this summer’s wildfires in Spain, France, and Greece.
Their struggles mean the prices of wine, olives, citrus fruits, and vegetables are expected to keep rising, as droughts, flash floods, and high temperatures damage traditional Mediterranean crops.
Boutaris says he is determined to show that farming can still work in southern Europe. To tackle the challenges, he is using new methods, including installing irrigation and water storage systems and planting more vegetation among the vines to help the soil retain water and lower temperatures. He is also buying land at higher elevations and looking for grape varieties that are more resistant to extreme weather.
He recently invested €250,000 (£216,000) in irrigation and plans to spend another €200,000 (£173,000) on a project for 40 hectares of vineyards in Santorini.
Producers across Europe will have to pass these extra costs on to consumers through higher prices, Boutaris argues. “Cheap wine won’t be easy to find. It used to be that southern France, Spain, and Greece produced Europe’s affordable wine. Now it’s going to be very hard to compete on price,” he says.
Shoppers are already feeling the effects. Droughts in Spain, Italy, and Portugal—where the UK sources much of its fresh fruit and vegetables during autumn and winter—are pushing up prices this summer, a time when they would normally fall.
Even farmers in parts of the UK have been hit by long dry spells, affecting the production of cereals, potatoes, carrots, and broccoli, which are not usually irrigated.
The situation is expected to worsen due to the climate crisis. According to analysis by the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Commission, average annual crop losses in the EU could increase by up to two-thirds by 2050, reaching as much as €24.8 billion.
By 2050, Spain, Italy, and Greece are expected to face the most severe increase in drought risk, with more than nine times as many days of severe drought each year compared to 1990, based on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s “middle of the road” projections.
France, Italy, Spain, and Romania are likely to see the largest absolute increases in crop losses, with average annual losses expected to rise by 64%, or more than €1 billion (£866 million), largely due to drought, according to the EIB and European Commission report.
For example, in 2022, maize yields across Europe were down 24% from the previous year, with Spain suffering the largest losses, followed by France, Italy, and Romania.
As more temperate regions struggle, English vineyards are attracting investment. Dr. Peter Alexander, a professor of global food systems at the University of Edinburgh, notes that crops are already shifting northward within Europe, with champagne producers investing in the UK and maize being grown in Scotland.
British farmers are experimenting with crops like haricot beans and chickpeas, which have historically been difficult to grow, hoping they may thrive in a warming climate. One farmer in Essex has even plaWith support from Belazu, a premium olive oil company, more than 1,000 olive trees have been planted. However, as the climate crisis worsens, adaptation becomes increasingly difficult and expensive. Alexander notes that this impact is already visible in more exotic crops like coffee and cocoa, which need very specific growing conditions and are now under strain. “In high-income countries, these products are still available but less affordable,” he says.
In southern Europe, family-owned farms are struggling to find the resources needed to adapt and continue farming. “We’re already seeing groves being abandoned, and people can no longer afford to be farmers,” says Sarah Vachon of the Citizens of Soil olive oil brand, which partners with independent producers across the Mediterranean. She explains that farmers are exploring various strategies to survive, from irrigation to planting new varieties, but “these are major investments for small farmers already living on the edge, and it’s hard to secure government funding for such measures.”
In Greece, Boutaris points out that some family farmers have already left their land behind and chosen different lifestyles because farming has become too challenging.
According to Alex Fernández Poulussen, a director at Good Stuff International, which coordinates a collective water program in southern Spain’s Guadalquivir river basin, urgent action is needed. Water storage in Spain is less than half full, while demand remains very high. He predicts that the amount of cultivated land in the region will likely decrease, with some farms sold to investment funds for solar energy or converted from water-intensive crops like citrus and avocados to less thirsty options such as wheat, maize, cereals, or olives.
After several years of drought in southern Spain, major projects are underway to develop coordinated approaches for more effective water storage and use, including innovative irrigation methods. “Change is necessary due to the climate situation, but there is a lot of proactive innovation and effort happening,” he says.
Walter Zanre, CEO of the UK branch of olive oil brand Filippo Berio, notes that production in regions like Andalucía, Puglia, Sicily, Greece, Tunisia, and Turkey is expected to be affected by rising average temperatures and reduced rainfall. “There are many projects aimed at conserving water and using it for irrigation. But to conserve water, it first has to rain. We had winter rains this year, but the previous three years were practically a drought.”
Concerned about future supplies, Filippo Berio has invested in additional storage tanks to hold an extra 3,000 tonnes of oil over the past five years, temporarily rented space for another 1,000 tonnes, and expanded its sourcing to include Latin America.
Lambert van Horen, an analyst at Rabobank, says the financial group predicts no increase in agricultural production per hectare in Europe over the next five years, ending decades of growth driven by efficiency gains and better fertilizers. This stagnation is likely to lead to higher prices. “In the last five years, fresh produce prices have kept pace with or exceeded general inflation. We expect food prices to at least match inflation over the next five years,” he explains. “Farmers will receive higher prices, which they need because their input costs are rising.”
This could involve building more shade houses or greenhouses, where temperature and water use can be better controlled regardless of the climate, to build resilience.Adding more storage will come with additional costs, especially for crops like grains, where the revenue per hectare is relatively low, according to van Horen.
In Greece, many wine producers have had a decent year after two difficult ones. However, with wildfires spreading, numerous small farmers are now reconsidering their future in agriculture.
Boutaris remains determined to continue: “There has to be a way to make it work, and I want to prove it can be done.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about the challenges European farmers face due to the climate crisis presented in a clear and natural tone
General Beginner Questions
1 Why cant farmers just farm the way they used to
The climate has changed significantly Traditional methods were designed for predictable seasons and reliable rainfall which no longer exist Farming the old way now often leads to crop failure soil damage and financial loss
2 What are the main climate challenges affecting farmers in Europe
The biggest issues are more frequent and severe droughts unexpected heavy rainfall and flooding hotter temperatures and new pests and diseases that thrive in the warmer weather
3 Is this really a crisis or just a few bad years
Its a longterm crisis While there have always been good and bad years the overall trend shows these extreme weather events are becoming more common and intense making it a permanent shift not a temporary problem
4 How does climate change directly hurt crops
Droughts stunt growth and kill plants Extreme heat can cook delicate flowers and fruits Too much rain rots roots and makes fields too muddy for machinery It creates unpredictable and stressful growing conditions
Intermediate Impact Questions
5 Besides the weather what other problems does this create
It causes economic stress from lower yields increases competition for water and forces farmers to spend more on irrigation systems or new types of insurance It also leads to soil erosion and loss of biodiversity
6 What does adapting actually mean for a farmer
Adapting means changing practices to work with the new climate reality This can include planting different crop varieties that are droughtresistant using water more efficiently planting cover crops to protect soil and using technology to monitor field conditions
7 Are there any benefits to these changes
Yes Many adaptive practices like improving soil health and using water wisely can make farms more resilient and productive in the long run They can also benefit the environment by storing carbon and protecting local ecosystems
8 Can you give an example of a farmer adapting
A farmer in Spain might switch from growing thirsty crops like corn to droughttolerant ones like olives or almonds A farmer in Germany might plant trees between crops to provide shade and reduce soil moisture loss
Advanced Practical Questions
