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NEW DELHI: Heatwaves will become a major threat to Indian agricultural workers and rice production, and the most intense risk from future extreme heat events is concentrated around densely populated farming regions of the Ganges and Indus River basin, said a new report from the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).Released on World Earth Day on Wednesday, the report analysed the impact of extreme heat on the output of rice and other farm produce in India.It also cited examples from the extreme heat events of 2022 in India, underlining how abnormal rise in maximum and minimum temperatures during the year affected crops, fruits, vegetables and livestock and poultry in over one-third of states/UT, including Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan. Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Maharashtra.“That year will also be remembered as a classic example of the combined impacts of high temperatures and reduced rainfall felt throughout India’s agricultural production systems, specifically in northern and central India,” said the report, which comes at a time when there is a forecast of ‘below normal’ rainfall in the country during the four-month (June-Sept) monsoon season this year. WMO defines heatwaves as prolonged periods of abnormally hot weather, lasting from several days to months when both day-time and night-time temperatures exceed typical regional averages.Referring to the yardstick, the report noted that the frequency, intensity and duration of extreme heat events globally have risen sharply over the past half century, and the risks to agrifood systems and ecosystems are set to soar in the future.“Extreme heat is increasingly defining the conditions under which agrifood systems operate,” said WMO secretary-general Celeste Saulo.“More than simply an isolated climatic hazard, it acts as a compounding risk factor that magnifies existing weaknesses across agricultural systems. Early warnings and climate services like seasonal outlooks are vital to help us adapt to the new reality,” she said.Besides impact on agricultural crops, the report also enlisted how the extreme heat impacts livestock species, fisheries, dairy animals and poultry products.Flagging the impacts, the report also points to the need for innovation and the implementation of adaptation measures such as selective breeding and crop choices adjusted to the new climate reality, adjusting planting windows and altering management practices that can shelter crops and agricultural activities from the impacts of extreme heat.“Early warning systems are a particularly important tool in aiding farmers in their efforts to respond to extreme heat,” it said.
