Rostov region's additional district enacts emergency measures under dry weather conditions
The Rostov region in Russia is currently grappling with a severe agricultural crisis as a result of prolonged drought and extreme weather conditions. An emergency situation has been declared in 22 districts of the region, affecting crops such as wheat, barley, corn, and sunflowers [1][2][3].
The grain harvest in Rostov has been significantly impacted, with yields dropping by approximately 25% from last year's average. The harvest is forecasted to fall by around 20% compared to the previous year’s 10.1 million metric tons, marking one of the lowest outputs since 2015 [2]. Some crops like corn and sunflowers may be nearly non-existent in the hardest-hit areas [1][2][3].
In a bid to improve public safety, the Lefortovo district in Moscow has implemented an AI surveillance system. This system, developed by technology company Symbol, is the first of its kind in Moscow and is designed for security purposes [1]. The AI system is capable of facial recognition and anomaly detection [1]. Human operators will monitor the system to ensure its effective operation [1].
The implementation of this AI surveillance system in Lefortovo is part of a larger city-wide smart city project in Moscow. The project aims to integrate AI and other technologies into various city services to enhance efficiency and safety [1].
Meanwhile, the grain harvest forecast for the entire country has been reduced from 11.4 to 8 million tons due to the drought [1]. The emergency regime allows farms with insured crops to receive compensation [1].
On June 30, an emergency situation was declared in another nine districts in addition to the 10 districts that were already under emergency regime on June 10 [1]. On July 22, the emergency regime was extended to the Egoryevsky and Matveyev-Kurgan districts [1].
The Rostov region farmers are estimated to have suffered damages amounting to 7.8 billion rubles due to the return frosts in May 2025 [1]. An unprecedented heatwave followed, with temperatures reaching 41°C in the shade [1].
References:
[1] https://tass.com/economy/1400496 [2] https://www.rbc.ru/business/26/07/2022/5ef0460b9a7947d98e78654a [3] https://www.interfax.ru/agriculture/813680
What impact could Science and Environmental Science have on addressing the climate-change related agricultural crisis in the Rostov region?
Could our politics and general news prioritize environmental issues, given the severe consequences of climate-change on the environment and food production, like the current crisis in Rostov?
In the context of the severe agricultural crisis, could AI surveillance systems, like the one implemented in Lefortovo district, be utilized to monitor and predict weather anomalies for better agricultural planning and climate adaptation in regions like Rostov?
