How is climate change affecting India's food security
Climate change is having a significant impact on various aspects of India, including its food security.
Climate change is indeed posing a threat to India's food security in several ways:
- Erratic monsoon patterns: The changing climate has resulted in unpredictable rainfall patterns, with more frequent droughts and floods. This disrupts agricultural practices, impacting crop production and ultimately reducing food availability.
- Rising temperatures: Increasing temperatures adversely affect crop yield and quality. High temperatures during critical growth stages can lead to reduced harvests, affecting staple crops like rice and wheat.
- Changing pest patterns: Climate change alters ecosystems, leading to shifts in pest populations. The proliferation of pests like locusts and diseases like rice blast affects agricultural productivity and can lead to substantial crop losses.
- Water scarcity: Shifts in rainfall patterns and warmer temperatures worsen water scarcity issues. This strains irrigation systems and increases competition for water resources, affecting crop irrigation and the overall agricultural sector.
- Threat to livestock: Heat stress on livestock adversely impacts their health and productivity, affecting the availability of dairy and meat products.
- Risk of natural disasters: Climate change increases the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events like cyclones and storms. These events damage crops, destroy infrastructure, and displace farmers, leading to food insecurity.
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