Farmers devastated as extreme weather shrinks prized crop by 40%: 'Becoming a growing challenge'
Farmers across Pakistan are reporting major crop losses due to extreme weather effects exacerbated by increasingly warming temperatures.
In April, temperatures across "Pakistan rose to 118 degrees Fahrenheit … and are forecast to climb through Wednesday, possibly nearing the global April record of 122 degrees Fahrenheit," according to The Washington Post.
Not only do prolonged heat waves pose a severe danger to humans, but they also have a devastating effect on agriculture.
Mangoes, a large export for Pakistan, suffered greatly throughout the latest heat wave. Rising temperatures stress the mango trees, halting flowering or causing the tree to prematurely drop fruit, causing a "potential 40% reduction in the size of Multan's mangoes," according to FreshPlaza.
Scientific Officer Abid Hameed Khan told FreshPlaza that extreme "temperature fluctuations were becoming a growing challenge."
These aren't the only farmers who have seen significant losses due to climate change. Farmers across the globe — Italy, India, the U.K., and Ukraine — are losing massive amounts of food due to scalding heatwaves, flash floods, and severe droughts.
It's a concerning trend. If the amount of our planet-warming pollution continues to grow, we could see huge losses of wheat, corn, rice, fruits and vegetables, and even livestock.
With billions of mouths to feed, this severe agricultural loss means billions of people could be at risk of malnutrition and starvation.
In Pakistan, a new government initiative could help protect the mango trees. One researcher, Dr. Rehman, stressed the importance of growing smaller mango trees to reduce losses.
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"This modern orchard management system aims to enhance productivity by introducing shorter mango trees that are easier to maintain and more resilient to climate stresses," Dr. Rehman explained to FreshPlaza.
Globally, researchers are working to boost crop resistance and improve resource management. These researchers discovered that zinc oxide makes rice more tolerant of warmer temperatures. Another group of scientists is trying to transplant a "cold-coping" gene to cold-intolerant plants, like corn.
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