-
Website will open in10seconds
Drought Impact on Cereal Harvests Greatest in Developed Nations
07 Jan 2016 --- Drought and extreme heat events slashed cereal harvests in recent decades by 9% to 10% on average in affected countries - and the impact of these weather disasters was greatest in the developed nations of North America, Europe and Australasia, according to a new study led by researchers from McGill University and the University of British Columbia. At a time when global warming is projected to lead to more extreme weather, the study, published in Nature, provides the most comprehensive look yet at the influence of such events on crop area, yields and production around the world. The researchers analyzed national production data for 16 cereals in the 177 countries included in an international database of extreme weather disasters.
The impact from droughts grew larger in the period from 1985 to 2007, according to the study, which examined the effects of about 2,800 weather disasters from 1964 to 2007. "We have always known that extreme weather causes crop production losses," says senior author Navin Ramankutty, professor of global food security and sustainability at UBC's Liu Institute for Global Issues and Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability. "But until now we did not know exactly how much global production was lost to such extreme weather events, and how they varied by different regions of the world." Production levels in the more technically advanced agricultural systems of North America, Europe and Australasia dropped by an average of 19.9% because of droughts - roughly double the global average. This may reflect differences in scale and methods of farming in wealthier countries, compared with the developing world, the researchers say. "Across the breadbaskets of North America, for example, the crops and methods of farming are very uniform across huge areas, so if a drought hits in a way that is damaging to those crops, they will all suffer," says first author Corey Lesk, a recent graduate of McGill's Department of Geography. "By contrast, in much of the developing world, the cropping systems are a patchwork of small fields with diverse crops. If a drought hits, some of those crops may be damaged, but others may survive. Farmers in wealthier countries also rarely depend on harvests directly for food, and typically have dependable access to crop insurance in the event of bad weather, Lesk notes. "So the optimal strategy for them may be to maximize yields rather than minimize the risk of weather-related crop damage." One bright note does emerge from the analysis: the extreme weather events had no significant lasting impact on agricultural production in the years following the disasters. "Our findings may help guide agricultural priorities and adaptation efforts, to better protect farming systems and the populations that depend on them," Ramankutty says. To contact our editorial team please email us at editorial@cnsmedia.com 
Related ArticlesFood Ingredients News Cosucra to issue “substantial” pea protein price increases
19 Oct 2018 --- Cosucra is increasing the prices of their pea protein isolate ingredient, Pisane, effective January 1, 2019. This price increase, according to Cosucra, will enable the company to continue to its technological, sustainability and farm to fork traceability leadership positions in meeting their customers’ increasing demand in pea protein consumption globally, while supporting the pea fiber and pea starch business. Other pea-based ingredients in their portfolio are unaffected. Food Ingredients News US tackles food waste: New agreement to educate consumers and businesses
19 Oct 2018 --- As a week-long Committee on World Food Security (CFS) meeting comes to an end in Europe, the US government has announced a new food waste agreement aimed at improving communication across federal agencies attempting to better educate Americans on the importance of reducing food loss and waste. With mountains of work ahead to meet the US Food Loss and Waste 2030 Champions initiative, which aims to reduce food waste by 50 percent by 2030, the agreement signals a strengthening of food waste strategies to present economic opportunities and possible cost savings for businesses. Food Ingredients News Unsustainable agricultural warnings: Governments urged to tackle meat and dairy over-consumption
19 Oct 2018 --- Governments do not have policies in place to tackle the over-consumption of meat and dairy around the world, according to a new report from The Changing Markets Foundation. However, the report, Growing the Good: The Case for Low Carbon Transition in the Food Sector, points to the fact that government policies universally support unsustainable agricultural production systems dominated by intensive meat and dairy farmers and producers. At the same time, meat consumption is more than double the recommended level for healthy diets in the US and several EU countries. Food Ingredients News Weekly Roundup: Arla Foods UK unveils new farming standards model, Nestlé launches food waste initiative
19 Oct 2018 --- This week, sustainability has been high on the agenda. Arla Foods UK unveiled a new farming standards model to bring sustainable change to dairy farming in the country. Nestlé has helped to form a new platform to combat food waste in Latin America and the Caribbean. In the same week, the global leader announced plans to reduce salt and saturated fat in its iconic Maggi products in the UK and Ireland. Omya announced significant price increases for calcium carbonate products globally and Hershey completed the acquisition of Pirate Brands. Food Ingredients News Panera Bread challenges on transparency with whole grain commitment and digital platform
18 Oct 2018 --- Panera Bread has become the first national restaurant company to disclose the whole grain content of breads on its menu. On all breads over 50 percent whole grain, Panera now labels servings of whole grain per slice, roll or bagel, as well as the whole grain percentage, so guests know exactly what they are eating. The new labeling commitment also coincides with the launch of “Food Interrupted,” Panera’s first-ever digital platform aimed at providing increased transparency. |
.jpg)
