Billions face food shortages, study warns

Guardian science correspondent, Ian Sample reports, “Half of the world's population could face severe food shortages by the end of the century as rising temperatures take their toll on farmers' crops, scientists have warned.”

A study in the US journal Science found there was a 90% chance that by the end of the century, the coolest temperatures in the tropics during the crop growing season would exceed the hottest temperatures recorded between 1900 and 2006. More temperate regions such as Europe could expect to see previous record temperatures become the norm by 2100. Full story: The Guardian

The outcry is muted, but the food crisis is getting worse
Comment from Jayati Ghosh, professor of economics at the Jawaharlal Nehru University in India.
The Guardian, Comment & Debate

Soil Association comment: Whilst food security is a serious issue, there exist practical farming methods that can provide communities with resilience to climate challenges while halting further damage to the environment, as confirmed by a recent UN report. An analysis of 114 projects in 24 African countries found that yields had more than doubled where organic practices had been used, along with benefits such as improved soil fertility and water retention leading to greatly increased drought resistance. Achim Steiner, head of the UN Environment Programme stated that, "organic agriculture can be more conducive to food security in Africa than most conventional production systems, and that it is more likely to be sustainable in the long-term."