Global Spotlight Report #67: Can Countries’ Farmers Cope with Climate Change?

Rating: C Australian farmers have coped with challenging conditions and weather extremes for many years. However, their ability to continue is being tested by the rapid changes brought about by climate change. These changes are experienced differently across the country, mirroring the great diversity of farming practices used in the vast continent. While the 87,800…

B Rating The agricultural sector’s vulnerability to climate change requires effective and urgent adaptation strategies that could increase the resilience of agricultural production systems. The sixth report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) entitled Climate Change 2021: The Basis of Physical Science, published in August last year, confirmed the unequivocal and irreversible trends…

Rating B In Canada, growing farm foods is highly determined by weather and climate, as climate change has meant increased temperatures and the likelihood of extreme events such as wildfires, flooding, hail storms, and tornadoes. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada report with earlier snow melts and shifting precipitation patterns; drought is becoming more common in the…

Rating B (Moderate Progress)China’s agricultural landscape is as diverse as one can imagine: Lush mango plantations and pineapple fields stretch across Hainan Island. Shimmering rice terraces dominate the landscapes of Guangxi and Yunnan in the South, fields of wheat those in Sichuan – China’s “breadbasket” in the Southwest – and Henan in the center. Water-filled…

Rating B (Moderate Progress)Droughts and excessive heat caused by climate change make it increasingly difficult for farmers to produce adequate food. Climate change has led to less fruitful harvests and higher production costs, which has impacted both the quantity and quality of food produced in the EU.According to Copa-Cogeca, an EU farmer’s union that acts…

Rating B The typical French farmer varies in terms of farm size and the products they produce yearly. France has a diverse agricultural landscape, ranging from small family-owned farms to large-scale operations. Farm sizes in France can range from a few hectares to several hundred hectares, depending on the region and type of farming; however,…

Rating: B India is the 7th largest nation by area, with more than 1.4 billion people.  Agriculture, with its allied sectors, is the largest source of livelihood, with 70% of its rural households still depending primarily on agriculture, while 82% of farmers are small and marginal. In addition, the population of Indian farmers is spread…

Rating B (Moderate progress to sustainability) Indonesia has approximately 38.8 million farmers dispersed among 75,436 villages, 7,232 sub-districts, and 514 regencies/cities. Rice is the primary crop cultivated by Indonesian farmers. Other crops cultivated by farmers are palm oil, natural rubber, cocoa, coffee, tea, cassava, rice, and tropical spices. The average size of the farm is…

Rating C“We’re going home.” said the couple, already over 75 years old, after seeing the typhoon’s forecasted path and wind direction map on a TV news program. They said they needed to return to their rice fields and farm immediately to adjust the water and deal with the strong winds. This was only 15 minutes…

Rating B In Mexico, the agricultural sector is a vital component of the economy, with millions of farmers depending on their crops for sustenance and income. However, the looming threat of climate change poses a considerable challenge to these farmers’ ability to produce food and maintain their livelihoods. This Post explores the relationship between Mexico’s…

Rating BIn Nigeria, the average farm size for subsistence farmers varies between 1 to 3 hectares, with a noticeable distinction between the Northern and Southern regions. The North boasts larger farm sizes than the South, a trend that shapes the agricultural dynamics within the nation. The diversity in farm sizes often reflects the region’s climate,…

Rating C   Saudi Arabia is extremely vulnerable to the effects of climate change due to its harsh desert climate and low levels of arable land that constitute only 5% of its total area and scarce water resources. Nevertheless, Saudi Arabia is considered one of the top three date-producing countries in the world, with 1,065,032…

Rating A   About 2% of the Growth Domestic Product (GDP) in South Africa comes from agriculture. Although agriculture contributes a small percentage to the GDP, it is an essential economic growth engine.  Climate change adversely affects agriculture due to the lack of water and increased heat stress on plants and animals. Farmers are experiencing…

Rating BAlthough Climate Change is an escalating global challenge, it’s especially relevant for Spain, as it is one of the EU countries expected to be affected the most by the climate crisis, impacting various sectors, including agriculture.The size of a Spanish farmer’s farm can vary widely. Some farmers operate small family-owned plots, while others might…

Rating: B  Turkey’s agricultural economy is among the top ten in the world, with half of the country consisting of agricultural land and nearly a quarter of the population employed in agriculture. Turkey is a major producer of wheat, sugar beets, milk, poultry, cotton, tomatoes, and other fruits and vegetables and is the top producer…

Rating B The UK has a temperate maritime climate. In general, this means that we have mild summers and cool, rather than cold winters, for our latitude. Climate change is expected to give us warmer and wetter winters and hotter and drier summers. There could be a greater frequency and intensity of extreme weather, such…

Rating BThe impact of climate change on the economy varies from sector to sector. Still, as a critical user of land, water, and other natural resources, the agricultural sector is significantly vulnerable.  Climate change in the United States has caused reduced crop growth and extended growing seasons that are detrimental to the ability of farmers…