natural hazards and their effects on agricultural development: case of the republic of moldova

Abstract

The article describes the most frequent unfavorable natural phenomena in the Republic of Moldova, such as drought, hot dry-winds and strong winds, dust storms, hail, frost, glaze ice, invasion of sod webworms and others. Additionally it presents a number of methods for reduction of their damaging influence on the results of agricultural activity. The article showcases the devastating effect of webworms on the seeding of agricultural crop yield in 1975 and the coping measures undertaken in those years. In 2003, as a result of an unusual combination of natural and climate factors, a great damage was done to the seeding of agricultural crops. Similarly, abnormal heat during the summer of 2007 caused a disastrously low crop yield on the territory of the republic.