How is the climate crisis affecting our food supplies?
Food and climate might not seem connected at first glance. However, the food system drives one-third of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and is the main cause of biodiversity loss globally.1 Climate change is hitting crops hard. Heatwaves, droughts, and floods are all disrupting agriculture. Recent reports link rising global temperatures to food inflation due to higher production costs, damaged crops, and lower yields.2 This is a big concern for me. I come from Odisha, a state on the eastern coast of India, where rice is the staple food. But in July 2023, India’s delayed and heavy monsoons damaged crops leading to a surge in rice prices, prompting export bans. These bans were only lifted recently in September 2024. Climate change is impacting rice farmers all around the world with challenges like drought, flooding, and rising water salinity. Italy, which produces half of the EU’s rice and is the sole global grower of risotto rice varieties, reported declining yields in 2023 due to
