Climate change and agriculture vulnerability

Abstract

Global warming is no longer just a theory or a distant threat. The overwhelming agreement among the world’s preeminent climate scientists is that its impact can already be seen today and may grow worse in the future. This global warming is expected to significantly disrupt the climate system. As a result, regional temperatures and precipitation patterns will shift across the globe, affecting nearly every aspect of society. The linkages between agriculture and climate are pronounced and often complex. Crops and livestock are sensitive to climate change in both positive and negative ways. Agricultural systems are most sensitive to extreme climatic events such as droughts, floods and hail storms, and to seasonal variability such as periods of frost, cold or high temperatures, and changing rainfall patterns. Climate change could alter the frequency and magnitude of extreme events and could change seasonal patterns in both favorable and unfavorable ways, depending on regional conditions. Regional patterns of agriculture production are likely to change. Agriculture is fortunately a sector that can adapt but farmer adaptations are influenced by many factors, including government agricultural policy, prices, technology research and development, and agricultural extension services.