UN Report Warns of Heat Threat to Global Agrifood Systems

A joint report from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Meteorological Organization warns that extreme heat is severely threatening global agrifood systems, endangering the livelihoods and health of more than a billion people worldwide. Released on April 22, the document highlights how rising temperatures are disrupting crops, livestock, fisheries and forests, with impacts intensifying as climate change accelerates.

The report details how heatwaves, which have become more frequent, intense and prolonged over the past half-century, act as a risk multiplier. For most major crops, yields begin to decline above 30 degrees Celsius, leading to weakened plant structures, reduced productivity and the production of toxins. Maize yields have already fallen by about 10 percent in some areas, while wheat is projected to see similar or greater declines as global temperatures exceed 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels. Livestock face stress starting at around 25 degrees Celsius, with pigs and chickens particularly vulnerable due to their inability to sweat, resulting in digestive issues, organ failure and increased mortality rates. Dairy production...