Southern Romania in danger: desertification is advancing rapidly

Southern Romania is facing an alarming phenomenon - accelerated desertification of land, warns Environment Minister Diana Buzoianu. According to her, the process is already underway and will have major consequences for agriculture and the national economy if urgent measures are not taken.

• Call for cooperation between ministries

The minister stressed that solutions must be identified and implemented together with the Ministry of Agriculture, to avoid repeating past failures in drought management. "I don't want to sweep the dust under the rug. I want to see exactly what the problems were and address them with concrete solutions. Most of the time, the problem was the lack of joint measures between the two ministries,” said Buzoianu. A performance audit conducted by the Court of Auditors, recently signed, analyzes the desertification situation and will provide clear recommendations for the authorities.

• Causes of the phenomenon

Desertification in southern Romania is caused by a combination of factors: Massive and illegal deforestation - reduces the soil's ability to retain water and accelerates erosion; Climate change - irregular rainfall and longer droughts; Soil erosion - wind and rainwater carry sediment and sand, affecting fertile lands; Inappropriate land use - intensive agricultural practices and inefficient irrigation.

• Impact on population and environment

The phenomenon does not only affect agriculture. The expansion of arid areas reduces biodiversity, degrades ecosystems and increases the risk of sandstorms. At the same time, the loss of fertile land can force the migration of the population to urban areas, including Bucharest, where sand is already starting to penetrate from neighboring areas.

• Modern solutions and technologies

The Ministry of Environment is holding discussions with international experts to implement modern, cheaper and more effective technologies in combating drought, inspired by examples from Germany and France. Among the targeted measures are: Reforestation to stabilize the soil and increase water retention capacity; Sustainable agricultural practices - crop rotation, drought-resistant varieties, efficient irrigation; Public education programs on environmental protection; Firm policies to protect natural resources at national and local levels.

• A race against time

Specialists warn that, without rapid and coordinated interventions, southern Romania risks permanently losing important agricultural areas, which would endanger the region's food security and economic stability.