Considerations on Galati county pedo-climatical conditions and their influence on agricultural development

Abstract

Romanian rural economy dominated by agriculture in large part, is still poorly integrated in the market economy. Favourable geographical conditions, topography, climate, fertile soils, skilled labour, can make from Romanian agriculture an attractive and profitable area of activity. As an economic sector, agriculture occupies in the county of Galati, a leading place due to the rich rivers, which allows the practice of an intensive agriculture. This is due also from the great potential of Galati County, which, farmers, supported by central and local authorities, are trying to fully exploit it. The county, by its morphological features, provides favourable conditions for various agricultural activities. There are presented also some negative phenomena and processes as soil erosion, landslides, areas with salty soil, sand or flood soils that require specific actions. Climate changes in recent years are affecting many sectors of the economy. Agriculture is one of the area’s most exposed because of its dependence on weather conditions. Extreme weather events more frequent (such as floods, heat waves and droughts) have negative impact on crop yields, increase the distribution and intensity of disease, and also weed growth because of temperatures and higher humidity, submission periods of flowering trees, longer wine season, changes in other natural cycles of plants, changes in the timing of agricultural operations, etc.