A food report from a West African nonprofit leader spotlights how our planet's overheating is causing more than severe storms and health risks.
Solidaridad West Africa regional director Isaac Gyamfi said that air pollution is threatening farmers' livelihoods and, in turn, endangering food supplies, according to a story from Ghana Business News (GBN).
What's happening?
Our planet has warmed about 2 degrees Fahrenheit since 1850, according to U.S. government data. Experts from organizations such as NASA and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology agree that unlimited warming will bring to fruition worst-case scenarios already being realized, including droughts and wildfires.
"Climate change impact is not just an environmental challenge because rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and land degradation continue to affect yields, threatening the socioeconomic livelihoods of our farmers and national food security, " Gyamfi said in the GBN report. His organization promotes sustainable production methods in collaboration with farmers and others in the community.
Why is the agricultural impact important?
Yale Climate Connections reported that rising food prices are a "constant reminder" about the "havoc" that our planet's warming is causing. Yale cited a New York Times article that highlighted droughts in India that hurt food supplies, among other examples.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture forecast overall food prices to "rise slightly faster than the historical average rate of growth." The price of all food is expected to jump 3.5%. "Food-at-home" costs are predicted to increase 3.2% this year. Foreign policy, trade, and other factors contribute to the rates, in addition to disease and the weather.
Yale added that staples such as corn, wheat, rice, and potatoes are at particular weather-related risk. Crucial rice yields could decrease by 40% by the end of the century, according to Yale Climate Connections.
What's more, researchers are even concerned that hotter temperatures will impact farm labor productivity, contributing to yield losses.
What's being done about the food supply?
In Ghana, Solidaridad is working on efforts that include farmers, policymakers, researchers, and others to develop more sustainable land-use strategies and "climate-smart" practices, according to GBN.
Experts at the University of Texas are making a hydrogel that mitigates nitrogen runoff from excess fertilizer, negating water contamination. Quub, a Pennsylvania-based company, is working to deploy a network of satellites to monitor Earth's health, providing updates on deforestation, weather alerts, and other data. The tech can help to modernize farming with better data and tools.
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What is the biggest reason you don't grow food at home? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Not enough time ⏳ Individually, it's important to stay on top of policies that impact farming practices. Talking to your local representative about planet-friendly regulations is a good place to start.
At home, try growing a garden and including more vegetables in your meal plans. You can save hundreds of dollars annually on groceries while cutting pollution. Plant-based diets can also contribute to better health and improve how you feel, according to Harvard Health Publishing.
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