Today's Edition
DINA MAHMOUD (LONDON)
A recent cross-continent study revealed that most farmers worldwide suffer significant losses due to the consequences associated with the accelerated pace of climate change, which has caused a growing concern about the ability to continue future agricultural activities.
The study, which included eight countries across six continents, revealed that 71% of farmers had already felt significant impacts of climate change on their crops, leading to a 15.7% decrease in income over the past two years.
A sixth of the farmers reported losses exceeding 25%, compared with previous years, according to the survey, which polled 800 farmers representing both large and small farms in the U.S., Brazil, Kenya, China, India, Germany, Ukraine, and Australia.
Moreover, approximately 76% of study participants expressed concern about the impacts of climate change on their farm productivity. The results revealed that farmers in Kenya and India were more concerned about this issue than their counterparts from other countries. While most respondents anticipated the continued effects of climate change, over 80% affirmed that they had been taking steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, such as relying on renewable energy sources and reducing the use of fertilisers.
The current climate crisis has exacerbated the challenges farmers face worldwide, especially economic ones. Among these challenges are securing funds to purchase fertilisers, as stated by 55% of the surveyed farmers, managing energy costs, as mentioned by 47%, and fluctuating prices and reduced income, as reported by 37% of the participants.
Rodrigo Santos, a senior official at Bayer, the company that commissioned the study, emphasised the importance of shedding light on farmers’ climate-related struggles.
In statements published by the AgriBusiness Global website, Santos pointed out that the recent study’s revelations about the extent of losses experienced by the global agricultural sector highlight the direct threat to human food security caused by the climate crisis.
He emphasised that these results call for a change in the current agricultural pattern and a transition towards “regenerative agriculture.” This concept refers to a set of agricultural practices that help reduce carbon emissions, improve soil quality, and decrease the chances of soil erosion.
