In Section 2 it was shown that moisture conditions in much of the Stavropol territory are limited and unreliable, the high variability of the interannual and seasonal precipitation leading to large variations in agricultural production. This is an important factor to reckon with in the context of a centrally planned economy, such as that of the Soviet Union. The effects of droughts have been severe in the past, and there is evidence to suggest that the frequency of drought occurrence may even have increased in recent decades. So there are good reasons to look at the implications of changing patterns in drought frequency and their effect on agricultural production.