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Climate change and agriculture

Climate change also has many potential impacts on the production of food—specifically on farming and agriculture.

The first issue is drought. As the temperature changes and weather patterns become more extreme, areas which were historically good for farmland will no longer be as amicable. The current prediction is for temperature increase and precipitation (rain and snow) decrease for major arid and semi-arid regions (Middle East, Africa, Australia, Southwest United States, and Southern Europe) (Connor water supply). These areas often used for farmland and instead of being able to rely on the weather for the water needed, the farmers will be forced to turn to other sources such as irrigation.Relying more heavily on irrigation has its downsides for both the individual farmers and the consumers. The equipment is expensive to install and some farmers may not have the financial ability to purchase it. The water itself must come from somewhere and if the area has been in a drought for any length of time, the rivers may be dry and the water must be transported from further distances. (Maybe mention drought in Australia right now). With more costs to the farmer, some will no longer be able to produce while anyone still in business will raise their food prices; a cost which is directly passed on to the consumer. Some farms do not export their goods and they function to feed that direct family or community; without that food, people will not have enough to eat.

Another area of concern is the effect of climate change on the nutrition of our food. Studies show that increasing atmospheric levels of CO2 have an unfavourable effect on the nutrients in plants. As the carbon concentration in the plant’s tissues increase, there is a corresponding decrease in the concentration of elements such as nitrogen, phosphorus, zinc and iodine.Of significant concern is the protein content of plants, which decreases in relation to elevating carbon content (Effects of elevated CO2). (Loladze) explains that the lack of essential nutrients in our crops contributes the problem of micronutrient malnutrition in our society, commonly known as “hidden hunger.” This means that despite adequate caloric intake, the body still is not nutritionally satisfied and therefore continues to be “hungry.” In addition, countries world wide are already impacted by deficiencies in micronutrients. Iron deficiency impacts more than 3.5 billion people, increasing maternal mortality and hindering cognitive development in children, leading to education losses. Iodine deficiency leads to ailments like goitre, brain damage and cretinism and is a problem in at least 130 different countries. Currently, our plants are exposed to approximately 30% more CO2 than they were in pre-industrial times (Loladze). Not only does this diminish nutritional content, but it also impacts plant reproduction. Increased CO2 decreases seed protein concentration, as well as seed production for plants like wheat & barley. On the other hand, the growth and reproduction abilities of plants such as soybeans and rice are not impaired by CO2 (Effects of elevated CO2). Soybeans actually grow at a substantially higher rate with higher atmospheric levels of CO2, although the elevatedCO2 levels impair their defense mechanisms, making them very susceptible to soybean bugs (BOOK), substantially decreasing crop yields. A decrease in crop yield is extremely worrisome considering that plants provide 84% of calorie intake worldwide. Half of which comes from rice and wheat.