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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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Food security benefits of more accurate weather forecasts in the context of a changing climate thumbnail
Documents and publications
Food security benefits of more accurate weather forecasts in the context of a changing climate

This paper analyzes household survey and meteorological data from Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, and Bangladesh, finding that more accurate weather forecasts reduce crop losses and help farmers adjust labor hiring, especially during extreme weather events.

Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment
Update
Adaptation lessons from the global south

They explore the idea of appliances as “microinfrastructure”—from fans and air conditioners that reduce heat risk to refrigeration, cold storage, and solar water pumps that support food security and livelihoods.

America Adapts
Update
France: Winemakers forecast 30-year low harvest after drought, heat

Estimates suggest drop in production with vineyards also concerned ‘smoke taint’ from wildfires may affect quality.

Guardian, the (UK)
Large fisheries declines linked to compound and extreme climate events thumbnail
Documents and publications
Large fisheries declines linked to compound and extreme climate events

Study finds extreme high ocean temperatures and low productivity, when combined, significantly increase the risk of fisheries declines worldwide. Risks are projected to intensify by mid-century, highlighting the need for adaptive fisheries management.

Nature Communications (Nature)
Update
India: What climate resilience means for South Asia's farmers

South Asia’s small-scale farmers are facing mounting climate risks, but building resilience requires more than absorbing shocks—it demands adaptation, stronger institutions, finance and market access.

Observer Research Foundation
Update
France to ease strict rules on iconic cheeses as heat dries pastures

France is temporarily relaxing strict production rules for several iconic cheeses as drought and record heat leave pastures severely depleted.

France 24
Farming for 5-a-day: how resilient is the UK’s supply of fruit, veg and beans in a changing climate? thumbnail
Documents and publications
Farming for 5-a-day: how resilient is the UK’s supply of fruit, veg and beans in a changing climate?

UK imports 80% of their fruit and 47% of their veg. Worsening climate means this reliance on imports poses a threat to their food and nutrition security. This report outlines opportunities to boost domestic production, resilience and nutrition security.

The Food Foundation
Research briefs
Solar panels can cool crops—and workers

A new model simulates the benefits of agrivoltaic farming, in which solar panels and crops share the same land.

Eos - AGU
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