CIVIC LANE Repeated droughts and extreme heat are seriously reducing maize production in Hungary and Romania. Hungary, traditionally a major maize producer, may increasingly need imports when harvests fail. Farmers are therefore being pushed to reconsider which crops they grow and how water is managed. Governments can invest in irrigation, promote drought-resistant crops, compensate farmers for losses, or encourage a broader shift away from water-intensive farming. The key question is which response offers the best long-term protection for European agriculture.