Organisers of the Llandovery Sheep Festival forum have said the topic of discussion will be farming in a changing climate.
The Llandovery Sheep Festival will take place on September 14 and 15, with the forum being held from 11:00a.m on Sunday, September 15, in the Castle Hotel.
Panelists and guests will discuss the range of issues affecting farming as a result of climate change.
A member of the Llandovery Climate Action Group, Alan New, said: “All around the world people have been experiencing the impact of climate change through unusual, sometimes extreme, weather events.
“We have seen temperature records broken, huge forest fires, violent storms and flooding. And this is just a taste of what’s to come, we are told.
“We have always seen examples of extreme weather events and I expect you can all remember some examples that have happened in your lifetimes. But these are now becoming more frequent and more severe.”
New said the impact is already affecting food production so communities around the world will have to deal with famine as well as the other “catastrophic impacts” of fires and flooding.
“Here in Wales we won’t be immune to these effects either. We have previously seen wildfires, record temperatures and flooding events.
“We’ve just come through a wetter and milder winter and spring than normal, and a grey, wet summer.
“We can already see that our weather is becoming less predictable and more difficult to manage for food production. So what can we do about it, here in Llandovery?”
Panel discussion
New has brought together a panel of experts from a wide range of backgrounds, from working on the challenges of the changing climate to making farming and environmental practices more sustainable and resilient.
Farming in a changing climate is the theme of the forum, which will be chaired by the president of the the Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW), Ian Rickman.
Chair of the Llandovery Sheep Festival, Rachel Everett, said: “Events such as this are important to the agricultural community, not only in terms of bringing people together, but also in terms of showcasing the best of local produce, goods and services.
“The concept behind this community-led festival is to showcase the best of Llandovery, to share its cultural identity and historical past through the promotion of the wool industry and the local farming economy.
“This year’s packed programme will certainly not disappoint and will have something for everyone.”
