“Climate change is likely to adversely affect certain countries dependent on agriculture.” Examine this statement by citing relevant examples. UPSC IES/ISS EXAM 2021 General Studies . 200 Words . 5 Marks
HINTS:
There are numerous effects of climate change on agriculture, many of which are making it harder for agricultural activities to provide global food security. Rising temperatures and changing weather patterns often result in lower crop yields due to water scarcity caused by drought, heat waves and flooding.
These effects of climate change can also increase the currently-rare risk of several regions suffering simultaneous crop failures, which would have significant consequences for the global food supply. Many pests and plant diseases are also expected to either become more prevalent or to spread to new regions. The world’s livestock are also expected to be affected by many of the same issues, from greater heat stress to animal feed shortfalls and the spread of parasites and vector-borne diseases
The following are examples of countries that are likely to be negatively affected by climate change due to their dependence on agriculture.
Caribbean region: In Jamaica, considered representative of the Caribbean region, all livestock animals besides layer hens are already exposed to “very severe” heat stress in the present climate.
Africa: 70% of the population rely on rain-fed agriculture for their livelihoods. Smallholder farms account for 80% of cultivated lands in Sub-Saharan Africa. Climate variability and change would severely compromise agricultural productivity and access to food. Cropping systems, livestock and fisheries will be at greater risk of pest and diseases as a result of future climate change. Crop pests already account for approximately 1/6th of farm productivity losses. Climate change is expected to cause significant declines in yields for crops such as maize, sorghum, and millet.
South East Asia: A rise in the sea level would result in an agricultural land loss, in particular in areas such as South East Asia. Erosion, submergence of shorelines, salinity of the water table due to the increased sea levels, could mainly affect agriculture through inundation of low-lying lands. Low-lying areas such as Bangladesh, India and Vietnam will experience major loss of rice crop if sea levels rise as expected by the end of the century.
India: India is one of the world’s leading agricultural producers, with the sector accounting for around 17% of the country’s GDP and employing nearly 50% of the population. However, climate change is already having a severe impact on agriculture in India, with farmers facing frequent droughts, floods, and other extreme weather events. In 2019, a heatwave in the country caused the deaths of hundreds of people and livestock, while also damaging crops and leading to significant economic losses.
Australia: Australia is a significant exporter of agricultural products, particularly crops such as wheat, barley, and canola. However, the country is already experiencing the effects of climate change, including prolonged droughts, heatwaves, and wildfires. These conditions are likely to reduce crop yields and livestock production, particularly in regions such as the Murray-Darling Basin, which is one of Australia’s most important agricultural areas.
Agricultural production is under threat due to climate change in food insecure regions, especially in Asian countries. Various climate-driven extremes, i.e., drought, heat waves, erratic and intense rainfall patterns, storms, floods, and emerging insect pests have adversely affected the livelihood of the farmers. To respond to the adverse effects of climate change, sustainable productivity under climate-smart and resilient agriculture would be achieved by developing adaptation and mitigation strategies.
