How is climate change affecting crop yields and food security worldwide, and what adaptive strategies are being implemented to enhance agricultural resilience?
take it this easy way: CO2 increment + Population growth + Commercial interssts + Govenments plans apsence= Losts of Souls
Climate change is reducing crop yields and threatening food security worldwide through higher temperatures, altered rainfall patterns, increased CO2 levels, more pests and diseases, and extreme weather events. Adaptive strategies to counter these effects include developing climate-resistant crop varieties, improving irrigation efficiency, implementing soil management practices, adopting climate-smart agriculture techniques, utilizing early warning systems, and fostering community-based adaptation initiatives.
Rohit Kumar
Climate change is significantly impacting crop yields and food security worldwide through shifting weather patterns, increased frequency of extreme events like droughts and floods, and altered pest and disease dynamics. These changes disrupt agricultural productivity and threaten food availability. To enhance agricultural resilience, adaptive strategies include promoting drought-resistant crops, improving water management practices, implementing precision agriculture technologies, diversifying crop varieties, and strengthening early warning systems for farmers. These efforts aim to mitigate risks, ensure sustainable food production, and safeguard global food security in the face of climate challenges.
Bhawna Vijay
Sunil Meghwanshi
Mohammed Saaida
So we can say that when CO2 levels rise, the population grows, businesses focus on profits, and governments don't plan, it results in many people suffering or dying. Climate change reduces crop yields and threatens food security with higher temperatures, changing rainfall, more pests, and extreme weather. To combat this, we need climate-resistant crops, better irrigation, soil management, climate-smart agriculture, and community adaptation initiatives.
Climate change is continually affecting crop yields and this inevitably has an effect on the food security levels. The Rainfall pattern isn’t as predictable like before which sometimes makes the crop to be susceptible to extreme weather conditions. the strategies that can be put in place is to enforce better weather forecast so as to disseminate information to the growers and in order to better combat the incoming situation
Mariam Aramide Kasali You said very true mama that climate change is lowering crop yields, affecting food security. Unpredictable rainfall leads to crops facing extreme weather. To help farmers, we need better weather forecasts to provide timely information.
First of all we should know the key terms that are in the question.
01.Climate is changing the atmospheric condition over long period of time.
02.Food security is When all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for and active and healthy life.
03.Agriculture is the science of practice of farming including soil, growing of crops and rearing of animals for the fulfilment of human requirements providing food and other products.
climate change is affected to the crop yield. therefore mainly affected climate factors are Temperature and the rainfall distribution pattern. I can explain it using simple example.
When we consider there is a point called A in 1990 annual rainfall of this area is 2500 mm. The same point A in 2020 the annual rainfall of this area is 2491 mm. There is no striking different between the amount of rainfall that are given 1990 and 2020 in point A. When we consider in 1990 month of march monthly rainfall amount is 27 mm in point A. When we consider in 2020 the month of march monthly rainfall amount is 200mm. That is the term called change in rainfall distribution pattern. Total amount of annual rainfall is not change over three decade of time but the amount of rainfall that are given in the same month in two different years is totally change that is siverly affect.
01. How to climate change affect to the crop yield?
A. Reducing the crop yield.
Temperature, Precipitation and solar radiation is the main component of affected the crop yield. Change one or more factors siverly affect to the crop yield. When we consider crop is not only terrestrial crop but also include Sea weed farming. sea weed farming is most important farming method in now a days.
Ex: When we consider tea plantation. The harvested part is tea shoot. When we plucking we pluck bud with 2 or3 leaves. Epical bud of tea has main two stages. There are active stage and dormant stage. Normally harvested stage is active stage. Base temperature of tea is 7-15oC below this level of temperature there is no new shoot appears and maximum temperature is 36oC.If the temperature increase this limit there is no new shoot appears. unpredictably change this temperature reduce the tea yield and it can affect the production and the business.
When we consider the Sea weed climate change is siverly affect the yield of sea weed. Global warming occurs the increase of sea water level. Raising sea levels can alter habitats, submerging areas they were previously intertidal and affecting the light availability that seaweed needs for photosynthesis.
B. Increase the pest damage.
When temperature increase White fly population also increase. Higher temperature can accelerate the life cycle of whiteflies and allowing them to reproduce more quickly and increase their population. when we consider chili cultivation. More whitefly population can affect the crop yield. Another disadvantage of climate change is change in predators and parasite. As a example in 13oC the pest called A cannot siverly affect the some crop but in 20oC the pest called A can siverly affected the above mention crops.
Then we consider how to over 3 decade of temperature change increase the pest damage. As a example of an insect that was not significantly harmful to crops in 1990s but has become a serious pest in recent years due to increasing temperature is Brown marmorated stink bug. ( Halyomorpha halys.)
C. Increase the diseases.
Climate change can increase the diseases. Some of plant diseases are spread through the insects. When change the climate vector insects can increase their population and it help to increase the spread the plant diseases.
In other hand some diseases like fungi diseases are increases the changing of climate. Higher precipitation is caused the fungi and bacteria based diseases. change of relative humidity is the most important factor for diseases. As a example Betel bacterial leaf spot disease is occur in the seasons that are having more precipitation continuously. This disease completely destroying the betel cultivation.
D. It can affect the quality of the food.
There are more factors affecting to the change for the quality of the food but the main component for changing quality of the food is climate change. climate change is separately affect to the different crop species and there harvest quality.
As a example climate change affect to the watermelon nutrient quality. Rising CO2 levels can alter the nutritional composition of watermelons. studies have shown that elevated CO2 can increase the carbohydrate content while potentially decreasing essential nutrients like vitamins and minerals. ( in 1990 carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere is 354 parts per million, in 2020 carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere is 412.5 parts per million there for in time being carbon dioxide content is increasing and the decreasing the nutrients like vitamins and minerals that are in the watermelon. )
So climate change can affect the mostly reduce the crop yield and it directly affect the food security of the society.
02. What are the adaptive strategies' we can use ?
A. Use proper water management systems and practices.
water is major components for crop growth. According to the climate change there can be a long drought period and long more rainfall period. When we consider water management system is more important for long drought period. There are more water management systems and practices in the world.
One of the modern water supply system and management system is Drip water irrigation system. Important of this system is it gives water as a drip and delivers water directly to the roots of plants in a slow. This is consider as a micro irrigation system. Main objective of this is water conservation.
There is a another method called CASCADE SYSTEM . This is the small tank irrigation system which was implemented is Dry zone of sri lanka in the ancient time. This system consists of a series of small, interconnected reservoirs known as tanks or wewas. These tanks are arranged in a cascading manner, allowing water to flow from one tank to another ensuring efficient water distribution and conservation. Periods which are water abundant and have more precipitation cascade system help to retain more amount of water and after rainy season we can use that water for cultivation. ( I will provide documents that is relevant to the cascade system.)
B. Introduce suitable crop varieties for different climate situations.
Affect of climate change we cannot grow same varieties and cannot get adequate harvest. Therefore introducing new crop verities is important. Examples like Drought tolerant crops, Heat tolerant crops, flood tolerant crops, Cold tolerant crops. This kind of varieties help to increase the crop yield even in adverse climate condition. Therefore identify climate change and introduce suitable crop varieties is the responsibility of the Department of agriculture in countries.
As a examples,
1.Drought tolerant maize variety- TAMU.
2.Heat tolerant tomato variety- Phoenix.
3.Flood tolerant rice variety -Scuba rice.
4.Cold tolerant barley variety - OAC calibre.
That kind of some different crop verities are already introduced by different institutions and companies but the problem is most of farmers does not use suitable crop verities. Reason is lack of quality agriculture extension services.
In sub point under this main point we should increase the proper agriculture extension services and Its implement officers should continuously keep abreast of new technology and new discoveries. There is a major problem that developing country is less development extension services but some times these countries have enough new crop verities and knowledge. Government is directly responsible for this and they have to make a proper plan for that.
C. Using different soil management systems and land conservation practices.
One of the most common management practices in agriculture is soil management practices. When we consider soil management practices, there are main three type crop growing beds.
1. Flat bed.
2. Raising bed.
3. Shrunken bed.
There is more rainfall in some area, we can to use raising bed for that area and it caused the preventing of water logging condition. There is less rainfall in some area, we can use shrunken bed for that area and it help to retain ample amount of water around the plant. so therefore in oder to the climate condition we can use suitable bed type for growing crop.
We can add organic matters in to the soil and it caused the more water retain in the soil. It help to the growing crop without more damage under the less amount of rainfall.
Another method is use suitable land preparation method. There are main 3 tillage method,
1. Conventional method.
2. Conservational method.
3. No tillage.
#Conventional tillage can call as extensive tillage. It caused the turns total land and therefore the amount of water that are retain in water was losing. Due to exposure of high solar radiation.
#Conservational tillage turn the soil only cultivated row or column. Therefore most of the land area not exposure higher solar radiation. Therefore reduce the water lose through the soil.
#No tillage is simply called as method where the soil is undisturbed. It is more conserve the water in the soil.
Think what is the most suitable way for reduced the climate change. When you think you should think other factors that are affect to the crop cultivation.
D. Can use green house and polytunnels like structures for crop cultivation.
This also called as the protective agriculture. The main purpose of this is cultivating the crop in harsh environmental condition. When we take a example, continuous higher rainfall is directly affect to the crop growth and it harvest. If we can use polytunnel or green house we can prevent that kind of damage. Also this kind of houses help to prevent pest damage and reduce plant diseases. When we consider polytunnel is using less advance technology and it can protect plants from only a few limited climate components. But when we consider green houses it is used more advanced technology and can controlled any kind of things including climate factors.
Major constrains of this protective agriculture is expensiveness. And the major advantage is we can grow any kind of crop that are growing in any climatic zones in the Green houses. This will mainly help for the food security.
According to the FAO they introduced the climate smart strategy and there are main triple challenges. So if we have to over come this challenge we can increase the crop yield and increase the food security of the society. The three challenges are,
a. Increase productivity.
b. Adapting to climate change.
c. Reducing or removing green house gas emission.
First of all we should know the key terms that are in the question.
01.Climate is changing the atmospheric condition over long period of time.
02.Food security is When all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for and active and healthy life.
03.Agriculture is the science of practice of farming including soil, growing of crops and rearing of animals for the fulfilment of human requirements providing food and other products.
climate change is affected to the crop yield. therefore mainly affected climate factors are Temperature and the rainfall distribution pattern. I can explain it using simple example.
When we consider there is a point called A in 1990 annual rainfall of this area is 2500 mm. The same point A in 2020 the annual rainfall of this area is 2491 mm. There is no striking different between the amount of rainfall that are given 1990 and 2020 in point A. When we consider in 1990 month of march monthly rainfall amount is 27 mm in point A. When we consider in 2020 the month of march monthly rainfall amount is 200mm. That is the term called change in rainfall distribution pattern. Total amount of annual rainfall is not change over three decade of time but the amount of rainfall that are given in the same month in two different years is totally change that is siverly affect.
01. How to climate change affect to the crop yield?
A. Reducing the crop yield.
Temperature, Precipitation and solar radiation is the main component of affected the crop yield. Change one or more factors siverly affect to the crop yield. When we consider crop is not only terrestrial crop but also include Sea weed farming. sea weed farming is most important farming method in now a days.
Ex: When we consider tea plantation. The harvested part is tea shoot. When we plucking we pluck bud with 2 or3 leaves. Epical bud of tea has main two stages. There are active stage and dormant stage. Normally harvested stage is active stage. Base temperature of tea is 7-15oC below this level of temperature there is no new shoot appears and maximum temperature is 36oC.If the temperature increase this limit there is no new shoot appears. unpredictably change this temperature reduce the tea yield and it can affect the production and the business.
When we consider the Sea weed climate change is siverly affect the yield of sea weed. Global warming occurs the increase of sea water level. Raising sea levels can alter habitats, submerging areas they were previously intertidal and affecting the light availability that seaweed needs for photosynthesis.
B. Increase the pest damage.
When temperature increase White fly population also increase. Higher temperature can accelerate the life cycle of whiteflies and allowing them to reproduce more quickly and increase their population. when we consider chili cultivation. More whitefly population can affect the crop yield. Another disadvantage of climate change is change in predators and parasite. As a example in 13oC the pest called A cannot siverly affect the some crop but in 20oC the pest called A can siverly affected the above mention crops.
Then we consider how to over 3 decade of temperature change increase the pest damage. As a example of an insect that was not significantly harmful to crops in 1990s but has become a serious pest in recent years due to increasing temperature is Brown marmorated stink bug. ( Halyomorpha halys.)
C. Increase the diseases.
Climate change can increase the diseases. Some of plant diseases are spread through the insects. When change the climate vector insects can increase their population and it help to increase the spread the plant diseases.
In other hand some diseases like fungi diseases are increases the changing of climate. Higher precipitation is caused the fungi and bacteria based diseases. change of relative humidity is the most important factor for diseases. As a example Betel bacterial leaf spot disease is occur in the seasons that are having more precipitation continuously. This disease completely destroying the betel cultivation.
D. It can affect the quality of the food.
There are more factors affecting to the change for the quality of the food but the main component for changing quality of the food is climate change. climate change is separately affect to the different crop species and there harvest quality.
As a example climate change affect to the watermelon nutrient quality. Rising CO2 levels can alter the nutritional composition of watermelons. studies have shown that elevated CO2 can increase the carbohydrate content while potentially decreasing essential nutrients like vitamins and minerals. ( in 1990 carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere is 354 parts per million, in 2020 carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere is 412.5 parts per million there for in time being carbon dioxide content is increasing and the decreasing the nutrients like vitamins and minerals that are in the watermelon. )
So climate change can affect the mostly reduce the crop yield and it directly affect the food security of the society.
02. What are the adaptive strategies' we can use ?
A. Use proper water management systems and practices.
water is major components for crop growth. According to the climate change there can be a long drought period and long more rainfall period. When we consider water management system is more important for long drought period. There are more water management systems and practices in the world.
One of the modern water supply system and management system is Drip water irrigation system. Important of this system is it gives water as a drip and delivers water directly to the roots of plants in a slow. This is consider as a micro irrigation system. Main objective of this is water conservation.
There is a another method called CASCADE SYSTEM . This is the small tank irrigation system which was implemented is Dry zone of sri lanka in the ancient time. This system consists of a series of small, interconnected reservoirs known as tanks or wewas. These tanks are arranged in a cascading manner, allowing water to flow from one tank to another ensuring efficient water distribution and conservation. Periods which are water abundant and have more precipitation cascade system help to retain more amount of water and after rainy season we can use that water for cultivation. ( I will provide documents that is relevant to the cascade system.)
B. Introduce suitable crop varieties for different climate situations.
Affect of climate change we cannot grow same varieties and cannot get adequate harvest. Therefore introducing new crop verities is important. Examples like Drought tolerant crops, Heat tolerant crops, flood tolerant crops, Cold tolerant crops. This kind of varieties help to increase the crop yield even in adverse climate condition. Therefore identify climate change and introduce suitable crop varieties is the responsibility of the Department of agriculture in countries.
As a examples,
1.Drought tolerant maize variety- TAMU.
2.Heat tolerant tomato variety- Phoenix.
3.Flood tolerant rice variety -Scuba rice.
4.Cold tolerant barley variety - OAC calibre.
That kind of some different crop verities are already introduced by different institutions and companies but the problem is most of farmers does not use suitable crop verities. Reason is lack of quality agriculture extension services.
In sub point under this main point we should increase the proper agriculture extension services and Its implement officers should continuously keep abreast of new technology and new discoveries. There is a major problem that developing country is less development extension services but some times these countries have enough new crop verities and knowledge. Government is directly responsible for this and they have to make a proper plan for that.
C. Using different soil management systems and land conservation practices.
One of the most common management practices in agriculture is soil management practices. When we consider soil management practices, there are main three type crop growing beds.
1. Flat bed.
2. Raising bed.
3. Shrunken bed.
There is more rainfall in some area, we can to use raising bed for that area and it caused the preventing of water logging condition. There is less rainfall in some area, we can use shrunken bed for that area and it help to retain ample amount of water around the plant. so therefore in oder to the climate condition we can use suitable bed type for growing crop.
We can add organic matters in to the soil and it caused the more water retain in the soil. It help to the growing crop without more damage under the less amount of rainfall.
Another method is use suitable land preparation method. There are main 3 tillage method,
1. Conventional method.
2. Conservational method.
3. No tillage.
#Conventional tillage can call as extensive tillage. It caused the turns total land and therefore the amount of water that are retain in water was losing. Due to exposure of high solar radiation.
#Conservational tillage turn the soil only cultivated row or column. Therefore most of the land area not exposure higher solar radiation. Therefore reduce the water lose through the soil.
#No tillage is simply called as method where the soil is undisturbed. It is more conserve the water in the soil.
Think what is the most suitable way for reduced the climate change. When you think you should think other factors that are affect to the crop cultivation.
D. Can use green house and polytunnels like structures for crop cultivation.
This also called as the protective agriculture. The main purpose of this is cultivating the crop in harsh environmental condition. When we take a example, continuous higher rainfall is directly affect to the crop growth and it harvest. If we can use polytunnel or green house we can prevent that kind of damage. Also this kind of houses help to prevent pest damage and reduce plant diseases. When we consider polytunnel is using less advance technology and it can protect plants from only a few limited climate components. But when we consider green houses it is used more advanced technology and can controlled any kind of things including climate factors.
Major constrains of this protective agriculture is expensiveness. And the major advantage is we can grow any kind of crop that are growing in any climatic zones in the Green houses. This will mainly help for the food security.
According to the FAO they introduced the climate smart strategy and there are main triple challenges. So if we have to over come this challenge we can increase the crop yield and increase the food security of the society. The three challenges are,
a. Increase productivity.
b. Adapting to climate change.
c. Reducing or removing green house gas emission.
Vidoosha Sandeepa
Thank you very much ma'am for providing such useful references.
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