What's happened
A new FAO-WMO report shows extreme heat is already draining work hours and hurting crops, livestock, and forests; adaptation measures and resilient farming practices are urged to safeguard food security amid rising temperatures and compound risks.
What's behind the headline?
Brief
The headline frames extreme heat as a rising, pervasive threat to food systems, but the analysis shows the threat is already materializing across crops, livestock, fisheries, and forests. The report emphasizes that heat acts as a multiplier of risk, compounding drought, water scarcity, and pest pressures, while stressing that adaptation must be global and equitable.
What this means for readers
- Heat waves are reducing yields in major crops and lowering livestock productivity, which will likely push food prices higher and affect food security in vulnerable regions.
- Farmers will need to adjust planting calendars, adopt heat-resilient varieties, and deploy better water and farm management practices.
- Early warning systems and social protection will be essential to shield agricultural workers from heat exposure and income loss.
Forecast
The authors project that without accelerated adaptation, work hours lost to heat, crop losses, and livestock stress will continue to rise, intensifying food-system stress and potentially increasing price volatility in the near term.
How we got here
The FAO and WMO have issued a joint assessment on how extreme heat is affecting agrifood systems worldwide, highlighting profit and productivity losses, stressed water resources, and growing risks to workers and ecosystems. The report builds on recent heat events and underlines the need for climate-resilient crops, adjusted planting schedules, and strengthened social protection.
Our analysis
FAO and World Meteorological Organization (WMO) have released the assessment noting that extreme heat is already causing significant losses in work hours globally and stressing agricultural systems. The report calls for heat-resilient crops, adjusted planting schedules, improved farm management practices, and stronger financial protections for farmers and workers. See FAO/WMO executive summaries and country-level briefs for details.
Go deeper
- What regions are most at risk from extreme heat in the next planting season?
- What steps are readers encouraged to take to support climate-resilient farming in their communities?
- Which adaptations have shown the greatest potential to offset heat-related losses in different farming systems?
More on these topics
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Food and Agriculture Organization - Agency
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger and improve nutrition and food security.
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Institute and Faculty of Actuaries
The Institute and Faculty of Actuaries is the professional body which represents and regulates actuaries in the United Kingdom.
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Anglia Ruskin University - University in East Anglia, UK
Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) is a public research university in the region of East Anglia, United Kingdom. Its origins date back to the Cambridge School of Art (CSA), founded in 1858 by William John Beamont, a Fellow of Trinity College at the University