Climate change will bring about a change in many farmlands as planting cycles are disrupted. This is just one of the many effects that global warming has on the environment. With this change many livelihoods which depend on crops and the seasons would be affected as well. The UN has stated that millions of people will live in poverty as climate change continues to affect the Earth.
The UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has said that as many as 122 million people are going to be affected by climate change. Agriculture would be hardest hit since it relies so much on climate, and a change in climate can disrupt planting season and harvesting. According to The Guardian FAO has said that climate change is a major threat to global food security.
FAO chief Jose Graziano da Silva said that climate change is bringing back the uncertainty man has faced in the days of hunting and gathering. Harvest cannot be assured in a world that has a climate that is being changed.
The FAO report has looked into food security in climate change under different scenarios. The challenge would be great, the report states, as there is a need to both address food security as well as poverty which will likely affect those who rely largely on the land for a living. Areas that would be affected could include small islands as well as those that experience large-scale extreme weather conditions.
If climate change would move slowly, it could allow governments and agencies to adapt to the situation and make measures that would aid the agricultural sector. However, if changes are more abrupt, the situation might be too quick for most governments to adopt measures. As crops fail food prices would rise, since the lack of available resources would drive the market to mark prices up.
Combating this coming danger can be done by adopting climate-smart practices, as Phys Org says in its report. These include adopting sustainable land and water for farming. Conserving water for both farming and for communities should also be done. Other ways to combat is by diversifying crops and integrating farming methods to natural habitats.
A recent report also states that climate change can affect health as well.
