How climate change is having an impact on agriculture and food security

Picture of woman working in farm

Learn how Children Believe is helping make change in our program areas

It’s little surprise that climate change could continue to have an impact on agriculture, but it may shock some to hear the terrible effect it’s already had. This is clear with the recent heatwaves in India — among floods in other countries — which have caused a decline in wheat yields and an increase in livestock deaths, reports Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Livestock is impacted in more ways than some may understand. “As temperatures rise, on average, animals eat three to five percent less per additional degree of warming, harming their productivity and fertility,” notes a recent report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the United Nations body for assessing the science related to climate change.

Research by the IPCC also shows that if predicted increases in temperature hold true, nearly 35 percent of land for crops and livestock production won’t be viable by the end of the century.

At Children Believe, we’re seeing the effects of climate change in the countries where we have sponsored children, and we conduct frequent assessments to address the rapidly changing situation, identifying and addressing needs.

We’re working with youth to plant trees, develop home and school gardens and clean up their neighbourhoods. In India, as part of a project supported though The Canada Fund for Local Initiatives, we’re helping address carbon emission targets through tree planting in “Oxy Parks” and education on building lower-carbon lifestyles.

We’re also working with our partners at the ChildFund Alliance to make greater impact through joint actions and policy influencing to find nature-based solutions to climate-change challenges.

Help communities create a greener, more sustainable world by clicking here to give an environmentally friendly donation through our gift catalogue today.

About Children Believe

Children Believe works globally to empower children to dream fearlessly, stand up for what they believe in — and be heard. For 60+ years, we’ve brought together brave young dreamers, caring supporters and partners, and unabashed idealists. Together, we’re driven by a common belief: creating access to education — inside and outside of classrooms — is the most powerful tool children can use to change their world.

About Childfund Alliance:

A member of ChildFund Alliance, Children Believe is part of a global network of child-focused development organizations working to create opportunities for children and youth, their families and communities. ChildFund helps nearly 23-million children and their families in 70 countries overcome poverty and underlying conditions that prevent children from achieving their full potential. We work to end violence against children; provide expertise in emergencies and disasters to ease the harmful impact on children and their communities; and engage children and youth to create lasting change and elevate their voices in decisions that affect their lives.

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