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Delhi
Climate change can affect foodgrain production: USDA
New Delhi, Nov 29 With the ongoing global warming, the average temperature in Indian and Asian nations could rise by about 3 to 10 degrees Celsius by the end of the century, prolonging spans of droughts and flooding threatening rural areas.
Global warming is melting the Arctic ice faster than expected, and the world's oceans could rise by about 3 feet by 2100, swamping homes from Bangladesh to Florida, said Robert Corell, chairman of the eight-nation Arctic Climate Impact Assessment (ACIA).
However, a recent related report from Natural Resources and Environment Division, Economic Research Service, USDA, Washington DC, USA, suggested that in South East Asia including India, Bangladesh, Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the yield of Maize could be effected by minus 65 to minus 10 percent, while Rice and Wheat yields could be effected by minus 22 to 28 percent and minus 61 to 67 percent.
In China the effect will be most profound on Rice, with yields effected between minus 78 to 28 percent. This includes rainfed and irrigated rice. Positive effects can be seen in NE and NW China, negative in most of the country, the report suggests.
China's first report on greenhouse gas emissions also warned that climate change would have an impact on its grain production suggesting that the crop yields would decrease, but not all over, some parts may also benefit.
''It can be seen from observations during the past 40 years that the runoff of China's main rivers has decreased. There has been a continuous drought in the North China Plain since the 1980s, while flood-related disasters have occurred frequently in southern China,'' the report said. ''This impact has been enhanced significantly since the 1990s.'' ''Simulations indicate potential food production will decrease by 10 per cent due to climate change and extreme climate events between 2030 and 2050 under the present cropping system, crop varieties, and present management levels,'' the report said.
''There will be an overall decreasing trend in wheat, rice and maize yields.'' Carbon dioxide levels, for example, had increased at a rate of about 4 per cent a year in the past 10 years.
UN statistics show that six of the world's 15 most polluted cities are in Asia, and the region generates a third of the world's carbon dioxide emissions. In Asia's developing regions, around 785 million people lack regular access to safe water.
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