The relationship: Climate change and food security
The unprecedented rainfall, droughts, heatwaves, and floods are disrupting food supplies and could exacerbate food price volatility, potentially leading to a 3% increase in food prices. This development will impact seasonal price patterns and make staple foods less affordable. Experts have penned projections that if comprehensive adaptation for sustainable agriculture is not implemented soon, the future could be alarming.
Climate change is a crucial factor for food price stability. Research has shown that the relationship between inflation and the monthly temperature increase is non-linear. Another study states that climate change poses a risk to food price stability, potentially leading to inflationary pressures, altering food seasonality, and amplifying the effects of weather extremes.
Ghana and Ivory Coast supply 60% of the world's cocoa, and were hit by a heatwave in early 2024, which resulted in a surge of cocoa prices by 280%. The situation persists into 2025, mainly due to disease, rainfall fluctuations, and farmers shifting to palm oil, as it's a more profitable crop. Brazil is the world's largest producer of coffee, satisfying 30% of the global supply, and 30% of the Arabica seeds.
Brazil experienced a severe drought, resulting in a 55% surge in coffee prices in mid-2024. Additional US tariffs on Cambodian coffee have increased prices by 62% in 2024. Interestingly, experts predict that in the coming 3 years, these commodities could become luxury products.
There are also short-term price surges in foods such as potatoes, cabbage, rice, and olive oil. The price of cabbage rose by 70% in South Korea in 2023. In Japan, Rice prices rose by 48% in 2024. In India, the cost of potatoes rose by 81% in 2024. The price surges in the countries were attributed to extreme weather conditions, specifically heatwaves.
In Europe, olive oil prices rose by 50% in 2024, and in Ethiopia, due to drought, overall food prices increased by 40% in 2023. Drought caused these price fluctuations. In Australia, the price of lettuce rose by 30% in 2022 due to floods. In Brazil, climate change is affecting every item and staple commodity purchased.
The Global South, including Africa and South America, bears the heaviest brunt of the global climate crisis, and they experience inflationary pressures all year round. Tropical regions are more vulnerable as crops are already stressed by rising temperatures.
Climate change raises food prices and also increases costs across the economy. Research has shown that high temperatures have upward inflationary trends over the past 30 years in both high and low-income economies.
Climate change is no longer a threat; it is a reality that we can see in our inflated grocery bills, disrupted agricultural production, reduced crop yields, increased complexity of supply chain bottlenecks, and a threat to global food security. These are not just words on a newspaper; this article serves as a potent reminder, a wake-up call to act, and a nudge to global stakeholders and decision-makers to collaborate in mitigating the amplifying ramifications of global warming through resilient agriculture, stringent regulations, farmer support, encouraging drought resistant crops, international climate funds, consistent dialogue, enforcing stringent emission cuts, and awareness campaigns.
Even individuals can adopt green practices, sustainable dietary habits, reduce wastage, and support eco-friendly producers. Every single climate-conscious act of 8.2 billion people worldwide will build a stable and affordable future for all.
2025 © All right reserved for Oman Establishment for Press, Publication and Advertising (OEPPA) Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).
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Zawya
21 hours ago
- Zawya
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Zawya
a day ago
- Zawya
The relationship: Climate change and food security
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Zawya
a day ago
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