A World on the Boil: New FAO–WMO Report Warns Extreme Heat Is Endangering Global Agriculture
Extreme heat is fast becoming one of the most dangerous and underestimated threats to global agrifood systems, warns a new joint report by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
From scorched fields to dying livestock and collapsing fisheries, the impacts are cascading across ecosystems — and threatening the livelihoods of 1.23 billion people worldwide.
Agricultural communities sit directly on the frontline of this crisis. According to the report, farm workers are 35 times more likely to die from occupational heat exposure than workers in other sectors.
In 2021 alone, extreme heat caused the loss of 470 billion labour hours globally, a staggering indicator of the sector’s vulnerability.
The FAO–WMO assessment, unveiled at a COP30 side event on transforming agrifood systems through climate science, underscores how climate change is pushing established risk-management systems to their breaking point.
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Chair Jim Skea warned that extreme heat and drought are already reshaping crop yields, livestock productivity, water availability and ecosystems — with far-reaching consequences for food security, nutrition and biodiversity.
FAO climate lead Kaveh Zahedi stressed that science must guide the future of agrifood systems, helping countries choose pathways that deliver both mitigation and adaptation while protecting ecosystems and livelihoods.
WMO’s Director for Water, Cryosphere and Hydrology, Stefan Uhlenbrook, added that climate science and early warnings can help prevent losses.
Heatwaves, he noted, can be forecast — allowing farmers and agribusinesses to activate heat-action plans and protect workers, crops and animals before disaster strikes.
Key Findings from the “Extreme Heat and Agriculture” Report
Heat amplifies other hazards, worsening drought impacts, increasing livestock mortality and heightening wildfire risks.
One heatwave can cut farm productivity by up to 50%.
Agricultural workers are 35x more likely to die from heat exposure than workers in other sectors.
Marine heatwaves, such as the 2014–2016 Pacific “blob,” can trigger ecosystem collapses, killing millions of seabirds and shutting down fisheries.
On land, extreme heat has caused double-digit crop losses, up to 50% reductions in forest productivity, and mass livestock die-offs involving hundreds of thousands of animals.
For every 1°C rise in global temperature, maize and wheat yields are projected to fall by 4–10%.
Case Studies: Heat Cascades Across Continents
The report highlights examples from Pakistan, Morocco, Chile and Portugal, as well as a stark illustration from Brazil.
During the 2023–2024 El Niño, prolonged drought and extreme heat caused temperatures to repeatedly exceed critical thresholds for soy crops, leading to poor grain formation and early, devastating wildfires in the Pantanal.
The result: a 10% decline in national soy production, widespread livestock losses and serious health impacts on farmers.
Adaptation and Risk Governance: From Reactive to Proactive
Building resilience will require rapid scaling of:
Heat-tolerant crop and livestock breeds
Sustainable irrigation and water-smart practices
Knowledge-based, climate-smart farm management
FAO and WMO emphasise that one of the biggest opportunities is anticipatory action. Agrometeorological advisories linked to early-warning systems could help shift the sector from reacting to disasters to reducing risks before they materialise.
Mitigation: Cutting Emissions from Agrifood Systems
Adaptation alone won’t be enough. Agrifood systems are responsible for one-third of global emissions and 70% of freshwater withdrawals.
FAO’s Martial Bernoux highlighted updated scientific findings that could support future IPCC assessments, stressing the urgent need for climate-smart practices guided by robust data.
This landmark FAO–WMO report is a stark reminder: unless countries act decisively, extreme heat could unravel global food systems. But with science, early warnings and climate-smart strategies, the world can still safeguard its farms, fisheries, forests — and the billions who depend on them.
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