Climate Change Threatens Food Security

Food security is defined as the availability of food and one's access to it. A household is considered food-secure when its occupants do not live in hunger or fear of starvation. Stages of food insecurity range from food secure situations to full-scale famine. The World Food Summit of 1996 defined food security as existing "when all people at all times have access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life".

The human-caused climate crisis is having a direct impact on global foodsecurity. The unpredictable weather affects crops and livelihoods.

In the United States, this past season: PERCIVAL, Iowa – The Midwest is still struggling to recover from two devastating floods which brought historic destruction to the region.

Just a few months after the epic floods flowed through parts of Iowa, Nebraska, and Missouri, you can still smell the rotting corn and see the costly effects of historically high-water levels at David Lueth's family farm in Percival, Iowa.

Lueth grows corn and soybeans, and the flooding wiped out any chance of planting crops in the 2019 growing season. Source

The concern about the weather's unpredictability is reflected here: 

Canadian weather has become a bit of a guessing game. Does this winter have another polar vortex in store for us, or are we out of the woods? Should we expect floods in the weeks ahead? Will the upcoming summer be the hottest on record? Weather models don’t always get it right, but they do reveal some trends when it comes to temperature and extreme weather in Canada. One key takeaway is that the seasonal cycle may not be as reliable as it once was, which begs the question: how does climate change affect agriculture in Canada?  Source

How do we deal with this? Well, if the problem is the solution and in the case of climate change humans are the cause of the problem, then humans are the solution. Our behaviour as both individuals and society must change. People must recognize they are nature not a being that lives apart from nature.

From: The Inquisitive Gardener

Seed Germination and Climate Change

Seeds require a specific temperature range in order to germinate and reach their maximum potential. For example, beans will only germinate if the soil temperature is above 60 degrees F and no warmer than 95 degrees F. Celsius  16 to 35 degrees.

If the temperature reaches above 35 degrees C, which has happened here, and in many other areas, this past summer, the bean crop could be in jeopardy. Beans are a great staple, simple enough to grow, to save,  to share and to cook.

The Global Climate Catastrophe will likely increase the number of days that the temperature surpasses 35 C, what then happens to the beans many count on to feed their families. Will food security be at risk. 

The Climate Catastrophe is already posing a risk to food security, floods are another major threat to farmers. Witness this past summer in the United States, where floods devastated a large agricultural area.

Here in Renfrew County a cool wet spring following by a hot, dry summer had a negative impact on crops such as corn and soybeans.

for more info: https://www.gardeners.com/how-to/when-is-it-warm-enough-to-plant/9029.html

Next post, what can a grower do in face of this threat?

Microplastics Stunts Earthworm Growth

"The ocean isn't the only ecosystem threatened by microplastics.

A first-of-its-kind study published Wednesday in Environmental Science and Technology found that particles from the kind of plastic commonly used in bags and bottles stunt the growth of earthworms, a finding with major implications for soil health, The Independent reported."

source

The Climate Catastrophe, that is upon us, is not our only concern. Earthworms provide a number of services that help plants grow. Their tunnels allow air and water to reach plant roots. Their casings feed the plants. If worms are shrinking in size this may have serious consequences for plant growth. These consequences could include stunted or smaller plants and less developed roots for example.

If we are to build a resilient community that can help to mitigate the impact that the Climate Catastrophe is, and will increasingly continue, to have upon the plant we also must drastically reduce the use of plastics globally.