Global Warming Effects on Agriculture

1. North American Agriculture

   • Predictions for changes in North American agriculture are mixed. In some areas, crops will benefit from global warming for a short time due to extended growing seasons. Places like the Great Plains will most likely have more droughts. Canadian food production will likely benefit as growing seasons begin to favor more northern food production.

   South American Agriculture

   • South American agriculture will likely suffer as the ocean inundates coastal farmland. Droughts will become more frequent as the Andean glaciers melt, thus, providing less water for irrigation.

   Asian Agriculture

   • Yields of Asian staple crops, like rice, are expected to fall as coastal rice production areas are flooded by rising ocean levels. Rising temperatures will likely lead to more droughts and lowered production and yields in remaining tropical and subtropical rice production areas.

   African Agriculture

   • African agricultural production is expected to drop dramatically as a result of global warming. Wheat production is predicted to possibly disappear. Soy and corn harvest yields are expected to drop dramatically.

   European Agriculture

   • Much like North America, global warming is expected to move crop production northward with lower yields and more droughts in existing crop production areas.