Poland is one of the countries with the poorest water resources in the EU. During the drought, there is about 1000 m3 of water per capita / year, which is 4 times less than in other EU countries. Climate change, including local downpours and rainfall shortages that cause extreme drought, is reducing water resources.

In the fight against drought and floods, measures under the so-called little retention. Reservoirs, ponds and ponds locally support the water balance. Afforestation of wastelands and restoration of wetlands and areas that retain water for a longer period are also helpful. The improvement of soil retention in agricultural areas is greatly influenced by proper drainage and irrigation drainage, which will drain excess water from the soil in a timely manner, preserving it during drought. The soil should also be enriched with organic matter, which has the ability to collect and store water.
The proposed panel will discuss topics related to methods reducing the effects of drought, with particular emphasis on:

• surface water retention
• melioration
• irrigation of crops

Today, short food chains are a priority in rural and agricultural development programs throughout the European Union and an important element in the development of local agricultural markets. The main purpose of short food chains is to reduce the number of intermediaries between the farmer or food producer and the consumer. The development of forms of sales directly from farmers, such as: direct sales, direct delivery, agricultural retail trade or marginal, local and limited activities, is a way to increase the demand and supply for tasty, fresh food products. However, it is important to achieve an increasing scale of sales, which includes small and geographically dispersed farms. Consumers are looking for the possibility of buying food products directly from producers, but access to these products is not easy and the individual actions of farmers are insufficient. The challenge today is to organize and inspire the activities of geographically dispersed producers, often distant from large cities, which will achieve a collective effect and scale effect.
The proposed panel will present the issues of short supply chain systems and answer the questions – what are short supply chain systems, why are they worth developing and how to develop them?

Currently, in Poland, industrial hemp is cultivated on 1,400 hectares. About 200 farmers run these plantations. Until the 1960s, this plant was grown on many farms in the country. It was rapidly removed from use after the spread of artificial fibers, but today it returns in great style as a natural and ecological raw material with versatile use in various industries. The great advantage of this plant is that it can be fully developed – from the roots, through the straw to the seeds.

The cultivation of cannabis in our country requires compliance with many obligations and formal and legal procedures. Fiber hemp is almost the same as the cannabis plant used to make marijuana. The only element that distinguishes them is the content of the psychoactive substance THC. Fiber hemp should contain less than 0.2%. The fastest way to start growing cannabis is to cooperate with the Institute of Natural Fibers and Medicinal Plants in the field of seed production. The Institute is currently implementing the Hemp Program, consisting in improving varieties of industrial hemp, promoting their cultivation and strengthening Poland’s position as a global producer and exporter of high-quality seed material.

The panel will present the assumptions of the Hemp Program implemented by the Institute of Natural Fibers and Medicinal Plants in Poznań. The organizational and legal conditions, agrotechnics of fibrous hemp cultivation will be presented and the market of hemp products in Poland will be characterized.