Agroclimatic Changes in the Mountainous Regions of Georgia

Abstract

Based on the meteorological observations carried out in the areas of the mountainous and high-mountainous areas of Mtskheta-Mtianeti in east Georgia and Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti in west Georgia, the trend of changing agro-climatic characteristics under the global warming has been revealed. According to the equations drafted by future (2020-2050) scenarios (1ºC and 2ºC temperature increase), the sums of active temperatures (>10ºC) were determined and agroclimatic zones were identified. As per the scenarios developed for global warming, a temperature increase will not have any significant negative impact on the agricultural crops provided it is not higher than the increase forecasted by the scenario. On the contrary, it may be beneficial to grow the crops at different altitudes from the sea level, by considering vertical zoning, where a 1ºC temperature increase will make it possible to grow the crops 100-200 m higher and 200-300 m higher with a 2ºC temperature increase as compared to the present zones.