Humanity & the Impact of Climate Change on Agriculture

1. Humanity & the Impact of Climate Change on Agriculture • Some food for thought: • Currently the world produces enough food to feed itself • Yet every minute of every day 15 adults and 15 children die of starvation and malnutrition • If we have enough food now, yet it is not being distributed equitably or efficiently, what will happen when food becomes harder to produce? • Why isn’t it getting where it needs to?

2. Agriculture is the dominant water user on the planet ~70% • North India may run out of groundwater in a decade leading to a collapse of agriculture in India • American cotton farmers get subsidies allowing them to produce more at a lesser cost • In 1998, more than 100 Indian cotton farmers committed suicide • Isn’t this a global issue?

3. In developing countries, agriculture is the occupation of ~60% of the population • Approximately 30% of the GDP • How will they adapt? • Solutions or adaptations may be available but implementation is another hurdle • Changing social & political norms

4. Case Studies & Talking Points • 25 % of all food eaten in the US comes from the central valley yet this area is slated for a major water crisis • Social norms may be to help farmers yet resource use is often inefficient and needed elsewhere • Can agriculture and resource use come before peoples right to stay on their land? • How do you balance priorities or shift mindsets?