This week’s news items focus on the impact of climate change on agriculture. Serbia’s climate is changing and its agriculture is already feeling the effects. Rising temperatures, increasingly frequent droughts and shifting rainfall patterns are putting pressure on established production systems, but at the same time opening the door to new crops and technologies. Recent data and research highlight how Serbian farmers are adapting to a warmer and drier climate, from introducing fruit species once considered unsuitable to investing in irrigation, protected cultivation and other climate-resilient solutions.
Beeld: Down to Earth exibition
Down to Earth: Climate challenges, innovation and adaptation
Climate change is increasingly shaping the future of agriculture and food production. In Belgrade, a new World Press Photo exhibition brings this challenge into focus, from droughts, wildfires and rising sea levels to innovative approaches that can help societies adapt.
“Down to Earth”, organized by World Press Photo and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, presents 21 award-winning photographic projects from around the world. The exhibition moves from the impacts of environmental degradation to examples of adaptation, innovation and collective action, including alternative energy, new food solutions and Indigenous practices.
For Serbia’s agri-food sector, these themes are increasingly relevant. Changing weather patterns and pressure on natural resources are driving demand for more resilient and resource-efficient production systems, creating opportunities for technology, innovation and knowledge exchange. Key areas include climate-smart agriculture, water and soil management, renewable energy, precision technologies and sustainable food production.
Beeld: Unsplash
Climate change reshapes Serbia’s fruit production
Climate change is increasingly affecting fruit production in Serbia, bringing both new risks and opportunities for growers. According to Biserka Milić, Associate Professor at the University of Novi Sad’s Faculty of Agriculture, Serbia’s average annual temperature over the past decade was almost 2°C higher than the 1981–2010 average, while annual precipitation declined by around 20 mm.
Warmer winters are already changing what can be grown. Temperatures below -15°C have become increasingly rare, opening possibilities for crops previously considered too sensitive to Serbia’s winter conditions. Kiwifruit near Zrenjanin, pistachios near Niš, and persimmons and olives on Fruška Gora are among the examples. Chinese jujube, persimmon and kiwifruit are also considered promising due to their tolerance of changing temperature conditions, while later flowering can reduce the risk of spring-frost damage.
At the same time, adapting established fruit production is becoming more costly. Crops that were traditionally grown without irrigation increasingly require additional water, while hail and shade nets, frost protection, windbreaks and protected cultivation are becoming more important. Milić suggests that producers may increasingly need to select production systems and protected growing environments, including greenhouses and polytunnels, alongside choosing suitable locations and varieties.
For Serbia’s fruit sector, climate change is therefore not simply shifting the range of viable crops. It is also increasing demand for technologies and production systems that can manage water, temperature and weather-related risks.
Beeld: D.R.
Three consecutive summers of extreme drought put Serbia’s agriculture under pressure
Serbia has experienced three consecutive summers of extreme drought in 2024, 2025 and 2026, according to an updated analysis by the Institute of Meteorology in Belgrade. The trend is putting increasing pressure on agriculture, water supplies and other water-dependent sectors.
The analysis shows that summer droughts in Serbia now occur twice as frequently as in the past. August 2026 was the country’s second-driest August on record, while severe and extreme drought conditions have increasingly replaced the wetter conditions seen in previous decades.
The challenge is not simply less rainfall. Rainfall patterns are changing, with increasingly dry and hot conditions in July and August, interrupted by shorter periods of intense rainfall. This creates particular risks for late-season crops such as maize, while increasing pressure on irrigation and water resources.
Agriculture and energy are among the sectors most exposed. Low Danube water levels in summer 2026 also highlighted the wider implications for water availability and river transport. Adaptation is therefore becoming increasingly important- from more efficient water management and irrigation to drought-resilient crops, improved forecasting and technologies that help farmers manage climate-related risks.
The findings form part of the EXTREMES project, funded by the Science Fund of the Republic of Serbia.
These developments were also discussed during a LAN Belgrade seminar on climate change adaptation, organised earlier this year at the Agro Novi Sad Fair. Professor Ana Vuković Vimić presented "From Climate Risks to Climate Resilience”, highlighting the need to approach climate adaptation at the level of individual locations and producers. She stressed that effective adaptation requires a clear assessment of local climate risks and coordinated measures across sectors, supported by knowledge exchange and reliable climate information.
More information
If you would like to know more about Serbia’s agri-food sector and opportunities in areas such as post-harvest handling, cold-chain development, and sustainable production, you can go to the country page of Serbia at this website. You can also send an e-mail to the LAN team at the Dutch Embassy in Belgrade: bel-lvvn@minbuza.nl