Mon Dec 29 08:27:25 UTC 2025: News Article:

Hungary’s Farmland Faces Desertification, Farmers Fight Back with Thermal Water

Kiskunmajsa, Hungary – December 29, 2025 – A region in southern Hungary is transforming into a semi-arid landscape, alarming farmers who are stepping in to fight desertification. The Homokhátság region, once a key agricultural area, is now plagued by dwindling groundwater, cracked soil, and growing sand dunes, reminiscent of the Sahara Desert.

Farmer Oszkár Nagyapáti, a member of the volunteer “water guardians,” has witnessed the region’s decline firsthand. Researchers attribute the aridification to a combination of climate change, improper land use, and poor environmental management. A 2024 study by Eötvös Loránd University revealed unusually dry air layers are preventing storm fronts from producing rainfall.

Now, Nagyapáti and fellow volunteers are implementing an innovative solution: repurposing thermal water, a resource abundant in Hungary. They negotiated with local authorities and a thermal spa to redirect overflow water, typically unused, onto their parched lands. The plan involves cooling and purifying the thermal water before flooding a designated field, mimicking the area’s natural flooding cycle that ended with river channelization.

“When the flooding is complete and the water recedes, there will be 2.5 hectares of water surface in this area,” Nagyapáti said. “This will be quite a shocking sight in our dry region.”

The water guardians hope this artificial flooding will raise the groundwater level and create a microclimate, increasing humidity, reducing temperatures and dust, and positively impacting vegetation. Tamás Tóth, a meteorologist, emphasized the importance of water retention for future generations, citing the potential impact of wetlands on the surrounding climate.

After a hot, dry summer, the water guardians successfully blocked sluices along a canal, and repurposed spa water began filling the designated field. After a few months, the low lying field was nearly full. This project highlights the resilience of Hungarian farmers as they develop ways to adapt to climate change.

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