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Do you notice that your cart seems to get more expensive every month when you shop? South Africans are feeling the pinch because of rising prices. Did you know that climate change is also a problem and contributes to inflation?
On 6 May 2022 IPES-Food(International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems). Special reportOn the current state of the world’s hunger and food security. The scientists explained that as climate change puts pressures on local farmers, South African food costs could rise and that more money will need to be spent on importing food.
It’s been happening for years. The World Bank reports that “over the past few decades, Africa’s food import bill has more than tripled”, reaching about R559-billion ($35-billion) a year.
These are the shopping cart items that are more likely to become scarce and expensive due to climate change.
Crops with lower nutritional qualities
The IPES-Food report states that the effects of climate change are already “afflicting agriculture regularly enough to create persistent vulnerability, as well as injecting a permanent layer of uncertainty into global markets”.
The report also found that climate change “increases competition for land and resources and pushes people into poverty” as extreme weather events (such as droughts and floods as well as changing climates that introduce new pests and change growing conditions) displace millions of people and force them to migrate. The report also includes an explanation of how to: IPCC findingAccording to estimates, climate change has reduced African agricultural productivity growth by 34% since 1961.
Climate change is a serious issue due to rising levels of greenhouse gasses and carbon dioxide. This, in combination with higher temperatures, impacts the metabolism of plants, their growth rates and yields, as well as their nutritional qualities.
Higher CO2 levels have been shown to decrease the amount of protein, zinc, and iron in wheat grains, and lower the protein and vitamin content of rice grains. This means that finding healthier grains is not only going to be more difficult or expensive for shoppers, but could also affect the “nutrient status of about 600 million people”, The IPCC warns.
Changes in the composition of vegetables and fruits
Climate change is also threatening fruits and vegetables, which are key resources for South Africa.
The IPCC Climate Change and Land special reports has shown that increased temperatures due to global warming, especially in the tropical and semi-tropical areas, are reducing the availability of these items.
Heat stress reduces fruit production and speeds up the growth of annual vegetables. This results is lower yields and lower quality.
Heat stress, for instance, can lead to the death of apples taste more acidic Heat can alter the texture of other fruits. Heat can also cause changes in the texture of other fruits. sugar compositionIt can also affect the flavour, aroma, and colour of the fruit.
And with fruits and vegetables that need periods of colder temperatures as part of the plants’ life cycles, warmer winters could interfere with output.
As fruit trees and vegetable plants produce less, and as more of their products are of lower quality, the “healthy option” may see spiking prices in the face of demand.
No more fish?
According to an study, the ocean absorbs more that 90% of excess heat in our climate system. IPCC report about oceans and the cryosphere, causing changes in the ocean’s chemistry and disrupting the supply of oxygen and nutrients for marine life.
Ocean acidification is also caused by the ocean absorbing up to 30% of carbon dioxide emitted by humans. pH is decreasingLevels can have a profound impact on marine life. Dissolve the shellsAcidosis in fish can lead to the loss of ability to detect predators or locate suitable habitats. Acidic oceans can also cause coral reefs to be destroyed and other ocean plants to which marine life depends.
Overall, ocean warming and acidification, loss of oxygen and changes in nutrient supplies are “already affecting the distribution and abundance of marine life in coastal areas, in the open ocean and at the sea floor”, says the IPCC, reducing the catch potential of fish that would have ended up on your plate.
Extreme stress on livestock
The topic of meat consumption has been a contentious one in discussions about climate change. 57% of global greenhouse gases emissionsFrom the production of food, and 35% of global total emissions.
Meat is not only a driver of climate changes, but it is also a major contributor.
The IPCC discovered that heat stress caused by climate change will continue to increase and affect both livestock farmers and their animals, “reducing labour capacity, animal health and dairy and meat production”. The IPCC estimates that cattle, sheep and goats will be subject to up to 136 more days of extreme heat and humidity by the end of this century.
These High temperaturesAnimals and their biology are directly affected by rising temperatures. This can have an impact on growth rates which can cause decreased mineral and nutrient concentrations. Rising temperatures can also impact the quality of poultry meat, eggshell quality, and immune systems.
These factors can lead to lower productivity, quality, and output of meat or milk. As the industry is unable to keep up with demand and standards, prices will likely rise.
This is not only a future problem – South Africa is already suffering from the effects of climate change on food, and this is likely to continue. In April, there were devastating floods in the Eastern CapeThe floods caused livestock to die, as well as flooding fields and crops. They also damaged infrastructure and equipment. This is just one example. The province was hit with millions of dollars. Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent. DM/ML
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