India's crops are at risk of heatwaves, with a UN report predicting 'below normal' monsoon rainfall.

News Topical, Digital Desk : A new report from the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is not good news for India. In fact, this new report identifies heat waves as a major threat to Indian agricultural workers and rice production. The agricultural areas located near the Ganges and Indus rivers are expected to be most vulnerable. This could lead to a production decline of more than 40%.

The report, released on World Earth Day, analyzes the impact of extreme heat on rice and other agricultural production in India. It provides examples of extreme heat events in India in 2022, and illustrates how abnormally high maximum and minimum temperatures that year impacted crops, fruits, vegetables, livestock, and poultry in more than one-third of the states/union territories, including Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, and Maharashtra.

Citing the report released in 2022

The report also said, "That year is a prime example of the combined impact of high temperatures and low rainfall on agricultural production systems across India, especially in northern and central India." The report comes at a time when the country is expected to receive 'below normal' rainfall during this year's four-month (June-September) monsoon season.

According to the WMO, a heat wave is defined as a prolonged period of abnormally hot weather, lasting from several days to months, with both day and night temperatures exceeding the normal average for that region.

The report notes that the frequency, intensity, and duration of extreme heat events have increased rapidly worldwide over the past half century, and the risks to agri-food systems and ecosystems are set to increase even further in the future. “Extreme heat is now increasingly defining the conditions under which agri-food systems operate,” said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo.

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