Persistent heat and water shortages are reducing agricultural yields in various parts of the world. It is not only European farming regions that are affected. Dry conditions are also causing problems for food production in the United States, India, and parts of Africa.
Longer-lasting
The problem also threatens to become more long-lasting. In the driest parts of Southern Europe, some crops may eventually no longer be viable. British farmers are already trying to adapt by cultivating different crops. Some are also seeking income outside of food production.
Storing more water is therefore becoming increasingly important. Elsewhere in Europe, water management is also regarded as a crucial method to make agriculture more resilient against prolonged drought.
Promotion
Outside Europe
Disappointing harvests could simultaneously make Europe more dependent on grain from other parts of the world. But harvests there are also under pressure. This makes it more difficult to compensate for European shortages simply through increased imports from outside Europe. Drought in production areas coincides with the consequences of the war around the Black Sea. Problems with Russian and Ukrainian grain exports thus increase uncertainty in the international grain market.
Corn is also among the vulnerable crops. Summer crops in particular need water during important growth periods, while exceptional heat and drought strike at those times. Vegetables and fruit can also respond quickly to prolonged water shortages.
More expensive animal feed
The effects are not limited to plant-based foods. Smaller harvests of corn, wheat, and barley can make animal feed more expensive. This drives up the costs for meat, poultry, and dairy. Heat can simultaneously reduce milk production in cows, hitting dairy farmers from two sides.
Transport and shipping are also becoming more difficult. Low water levels on important European rivers limit how much cargo ships can carry and can increase transportation costs. Thus, drought affects not only the amount of food produced on the land but also the routes it must take to reach buyers and consumers.