Lower Saxony Germany
Lower Saxony in Germany is one of TRANSFORM's replication regions, coordinated by Landwirtschaftskammer Niedersachsen
With 2.6 million hectares of farmland, Lower Saxony is known as ‘Germany’s No. 1 farming region’, it produces 50% of the country’s potatoes and 30% of its sugar beets, while also being a key producer of winter wheat, maize, rye, barley and oilseed rape.
Its diverse landscape from coastal marshlands to vast plains and rolling hills, has enabled agricultural specialisation, with dedicated areas for cereal production, horticulture andlivestock farming. This specification leads to very efficient production systems but also causes problems with resistance development or nutrient leaching to the groundwater due to narrow crop rotations.
Agriculture and climate change
Since 1960, temperatures have risen by 1.1°C, with drier springs and wetter winters becoming more common. Some crops, such as maize and potatoes, are increasingly reliant on irrigation, while groundwater availability is decreasing. Farmers are also facing new pests and diseases, such as virus transferring cicadas in sugar beet cultivation.
Changes in temperature and precipitation
Climate change projections between 1991-2010 and 2041-2070 for this region*
| Season | Mean temperature | Precipitation |
| Winter | +1,31°C | +14,71mm |
| Spring | +1,28°C | +14,90mm |
| Summer | +1,17°C | +8,31mm |
| Autumn | +1,68°C | +7,96mm |
Adapting to new conditions
To adapt, farmers must optimise water management, rethink crop rotations and explore new climate-resilient crops, such as quinoa and soya.
We are looking how we can fix or adapt our cropping systems with just low changes. Getting in contact with other, regions persons, farmers, advisors [through TRANSFORM] will widen our range of ideas of thoughts for the future
Regional Leader:
Kai-Hendrik HOWIND
Head of Crop Systems
LANDWIRTSCHAFTSKAMMER NIEDERSACHSEN