Effects of Drought on the Agricultural System. An Analytical Approach Based on the Production Function

Desertification is one of the most serious environmental priorities that affect the Mediterranean territories. The Mediterranean climate, typically characterized by an irregular rainfall pattern with hot, dry summers, may constitute a further element of imbalance. This study is focused on the measuring of temperature increases, as a consequence of climate change and as a crucial environmental factor. The methodology proposed is an attempt to give measurements of drought in the valuation of an agricultural production function. A close examination of agronomic sciences reveals that agricultural output is influenced more by heat wave distribution than by the average temperature of the heat wave. In this analysis, the probability of distribution (frequency of occurrence) of local average temperature anomalies, was conducted taking into consideration the changes of seasonal temperature in units of standard deviation (σ).