Tumultuous weather in Paraná and Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, could wreck the country's wheat production this year, and it has sent farmers scrambling for solutions.
What happened?
In some parts of Brazil, excess rainfall and floods are forcing farmers to delay their wheat planting this season, according to a report by Valor International.
This will affect the harvest and could lead to lower output than usual. In other regions, early frosts are also threatening the crop quality.
Brazil's initial wheat production forecast was up 7.4% from last year, but due to this severe weather, it's unlikely that those targets will be met.
"Fields in poor condition cover more than 50,000 hectares and are expected to produce well below the initial forecast at harvest," Paraná's Department of Rural Economics said, per Valor International.
Why is it concerning?
The rapid heating of the planet — in part due to human-caused pollution — is severely impacting crops around the world, which affects the farmers whose livelihoods depend on them and the food supply for all of us.
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Ruined crops and shorter harvest seasons lead to more expensive groceries on a local scale, and disrupt ecosystems and food chains on a global scale.
Cherry farmers in California are dealing with the same struggles, as excessive heat decimated the state's cherry trees last year and cut production nearly in half. An early monsoon season in India also caused more fruit fly infestations that damaged mango plants.
What's being done about it?
Farmers in Brazil who have been impacted by the weather are now rushing to repair their fields and plant quickly to catch up to the average pace.
"The crop is in good shape, but it would be better without so much rain," said Fauro Rocha, a farmer in Rio Grande do Sul, per Valor International. "The rainfall was intense and really delayed our ability to get machinery into the fields."
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Definitely 👍 Meanwhile, reducing the production of planet-warming gases is essential to avoid exacerbating extreme weather conditions that destroy crops.
Installing solar panels, swapping a gas-guzzling car for an electric vehicle, and eating more plant-based meals are among the changes we can make to encourage a cooler, cleaner planet.
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