Predictions on Climate Change Impact on Agriculture

Historical Event about Climatic Change on agriculture.

Mayan civilization collapse:
The study found out that Maya civilization went into extinction mainly because of climate change. According to Hodell, they investigated oxygen-isotope signal to figure out that Classic Maya collapse at the time of drought. Upon increasing temperatures and high droughts in southern Maya lowland, populations seem to migrate to north area(8).

Mesopotamian civilization weakened:
With Many other factors including sociological changes or cultural changes, new hot and dry period in around 500 BCE, increased overgrazing and deforestration played a major role in declining Mesopotamian civilization(7).

Hot and dry period's main role in civilization collapse or decline explains that agriculture, which is a key tool of civilization existence, is highly affected by climatic changes.

Increase in Climate warming is projected to have bigger effect on tropical regions by having extreme high summer temperature giving huge stress on tropic agriculture. While many percent of world populations live in tropic areas, decline in tropic agriculture can cause food crisis and feminine in global scale(1). The regions such as China, West Asia, and South Asia are predicted to have higher temperature change and decreased precipitation which leads to decreased agricultural crop yields while these regions contain large number of people who suffer from malnutrition. These countries usually have low per capita income forcing their populations' diets to highly depend on agricultural crops while people in countries with higher per capita income are more likely to be independent from agricultural crops for their nutrition. Also, countries with low per capita income have less agricultural techniques which makes them to depend on natural pollination for plant growth and natural pollination is also significantly affected by climatic change. Even with their harsh conditions, developing countries show some increase in population(16).
As population increases in developed countries, the demands for agricultural crops will also increase. However, climate change effects are likely to reduce the global agricultural crop yields, which further increase the food prices and food scarcity for the poor countries(6). Then What should we do?

Increase in population in developing countries-tropical area(EarthTrends, 2006 using data from FAO, 2006)

There are some suggestion on actions that should be taken immediately:
1. The developed countries should lower the trade barrier for developing countries and equally distribute the food sources.
2. Developing countries should focus on "investment on rural infrastructure and market institutions" for higher production.
3. Global investment on agricultural science and technology is needed.
4. "Expanded social-protection" from early-childhood to prevent further poorness in food availability.
5. Realize the relationship between agricultural responses and climate change(19).