Nearly 23% more Indians are at risk of hunger by 2030 due to a fall in agricultural production and disruption in food supply chains, according to a study released by the International Food Policy Research Institute on Thursday.
The number of Indians at risk from hunger in 2030 is expected to be 73.9 million in 2030 and, if the effects of climate change were to be factored in, it would increase to 90.6 million.
The Global Food Policy Report 2022 showed that India's food production could drop by 16% and the number of those at risk of hunger could increase by 23% by 2030 due to climate change.
The report noted that global food production will grow by about 60% by 2050. However, nearly 50 crore people would still remain at the risk of going hungry. Seven crore of these 50 crore people would not have been at risk if not for climate change, the report stated.
Production and demand are projected to grow more rapidly in developing countries, particularly in Africa, than in developed countries, due to projected growth in population and incomes.
"Higher temperatures, changing precipitation patterns, sea-level rise, and growing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events such as droughts, floods, extreme heat, and cyclones are already reducing agricultural productivity, disrupting food supply chains, and displacing communities," the report noted.
Heat Waves To Triple by 2100
For India, this past April was the hottest in 122 years, which followed the hottest March ever recorded.
The average temperature across India is projected to rise between 2.4°C and 4.4°C by 2100. Similarly, summer heatwaves are projected to triple by 2100 in India.
The report predicted that the average temperature across India will rise in the range of 2.4 degree Celsius to 4.4 degree Celsius by 2100 and heatwaves during the summer are projected to triple by that year.
(With inputs from The Hindu.)
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