Rome: Extreme heat events threaten the livelihoods, health and labour productivity of over a billion people. Agricultural workers and agrifood systems are on the frontlines.
According to Emirates News Agency, the frequency, intensity and duration of extreme heat events have risen sharply over the past half century, and the risks to agrifood systems and ecosystems are set to soar in the future. This is detailed in 'Extreme Heat and Agriculture,' a new report from the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO).
The report highlights how extreme heat is a significant risk multiplier, placing increasing pressure on crops, livestock, fisheries, and forests, as well as on the communities and economies that depend on them. FAO Director-General QU Dongyu emphasized the growing challenges, while WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo noted that extreme heat serves as a compounding risk factor, exacerbating existing weaknesses in agricultural systems. She stressed the importance of early warnings and climate services like seasonal outlooks to help adapt to this new reality.
The joint FAO-WMO report explains the physical science behind extreme heat, discusses vulnerabilities, observed and projected impacts on agriculture, adaptation strategies, and provides policy recommendations. Released for Earth Day, the report underscores the links between changing climate, food security, and agrisystem and ecosystem health.
The report advocates for innovation and adaptive measures, such as selective breeding and climate-adjusted crop choices, altering planting windows, and modifying management practices to shield crops and agricultural activities from extreme heat impacts. Early warning systems are highlighted as crucial tools to assist farmers in responding to extreme heat challenges.
Access to financial services like cash transfers, insurance, and payment schemes supports all adaptation options. The report concludes that protecting agriculture's future and ensuring global food security will require building on-farm resilience, international solidarity, collective political will for risk sharing, and a transition away from a high-emissions future.