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Heat and agriculture

Extreme heat is an increasingly significant threat to food security, disrupting food production, processing, storage, distribution, and access across local, national, and global food systems.

Rising temperatures, prolonged heatwaves, and sustained heatwaves can reduce crop yields, stress livestock, degrade soil moisture, and strain water resources, with cascading impacts along food supply chains. See below for the latest selections related to extreme heat's impact on agriculture.

Faced with extreme heat, farmers are turning to the forest for solutions.
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If Africa’s farmers fail to adapt to a hotter world, we all fail

Securing a safer planet for all means adopting nature-friendly ways to produce and consume food, and use land.

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Documents and publications
Heat is associated with short-term increases in household food insecurity in 150 countries and this is mediated by income

This study exploits variations in heat levels during a household survey spanning 150 countries in a quasi-natural experiment to show that particularly hot weeks are associated with higher chances of food insecurity among households

Nature Human Behaviour
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Protecting livestock from heat

Hello, and welcome to the latest edition of Record High. I’m Siri Chilukuri. Today, we’re covering the dire impact of extreme heat on livestock and the agricultural industry — as well as a potential solution some farmers are trying to save their herds.

Grist Magazine
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Lebanon: Farmers lament massive production loss as heatwave persists

The Ministry of Agriculture estimated losses of 40 percent and 20 percent in vegetable and fruit production, respectively, as a result of the heatwave sweeping the country, said Zidan Faour, head of the cooperative for improving agricultural production.

Xinhua News Agency
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USA: Heat is costing the economy billions in lost productivity

From meatpackers to home health aides, workers are struggling in sweltering temperatures and productivity is taking a hit.

New York Times, the
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El Niño 2023 can aggravate food, energy and finance crises

The last few weeks have seen large scale floodings in southwestern China and northwestern India including its capital, Delhi. The deluge in China and India is no exception to an emerging trend of recurrent monsoon anomalies.

United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN-ESCAP)
Research briefs
Taking a fine-grained approach to investigate climate impact on crops

Studying the effects of variable weather on all three aspects of production—planting, harvesting, and yield—can help farmers and policymakers build resilience to climate change.

Eos - AGU
Update
Bangladesh: Tea workers struggle as heat and drought scorch fields

Climate change impacts from rising temperatures to lack of rain hit Bangladeshi tea harvest as pickers worry about pay and health. Soaring temperatures, drought slash Bangladesh tea harvest. Tea pickers stressed in normally mild, rainy region.

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