Climate change in Mediterranean agroecosystems, accompanied by rising temperatures, decreasing precipitation, and more frequent wildfires, further exacerbates the degradation of already abandoned agricultural soils. The PReP‑APB‑JaR project, structured into three work packages, is focused on the scientific assessment of these impacts. The first work package analyses the long‑term variability of crop yields driven by climatic fluctuations in the Dubrovnik–Neretva County. The second investigates the effectiveness of post‑fire reclamation measures on soil physico‑chemical properties. The third encompasses a multi‑year experiment on a long‑abandoned agricultural site in Baćina, where successional vegetation was cleared and the biomass burned using the pile‑burn method. The resulting degraded soil is being reclaimed through the sowing of legumes and conditioning with organic (biochar, farmyard manure) and mineral amendments. The objective is to evaluate the effects of different reclamation measures on carbon sequestration, microbial activity, and aggregate stability.

The project contributes to the development of guidelines for soil restoration and establishes a foundation for a national methodology for reporting greenhouse gas emissions and removals (Tier 2/3). The empirical data collected will serve as a valuable basis for future reports and analyses. Integration with the PRIMA SHARInG‑MeD project further ensures regional relevance and broader dissemination of results. Additionally, the project will significantly strengthen the research capacity of the Faculty of Agriculture by introducing modern research methodologies, establishing a structured database, and fostering inter‑institutional collaboration with scientists from other Croatian research institutions. The project’s outcomes are expected to extend beyond academic circles and generate broader societal impact, particularly in the context of climate change adaptation and the practical application of scientific knowledge.