FAO-WMO Report on Heatwaves and Indian Agriculture, Key Findings

The report “Extreme Heat and Agriculture” by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) highlights that rising heatwaves are becoming a major threat to agriculture and livelihoods around the world, especially in countries like India. 

What is Extreme Heat?

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) defines heatwaves as prolonged periods of abnormally hot weather, lasting from several days to months when both day-time and night-time temperatures exceed typical regional averages. 

Such persistent heat creates stress in biological systems and damages the growth and survival of crops, animals, fish, trees, and even human beings.

Rising Trend of Heatwaves and its Impact on Agriculture and Livestock 

Over the past 50 years, the frequency, intensity, and duration of heatwaves have increased sharply.

Rising temperatures reduce the “thermal safety margin” needed for biological processes like photosynthesis in plants, reproduction in animals, and survival functions across species.

Impact on Agriculture: 

• For crops, temperatures above 30°C reduce yields by damaging plant structures, affecting pollination, and increasing toxic stress in plants. 

Impact on Livestock: 

• For livestock, stress begins when temperatures cross around 25°C. 
• Animals initially respond by reducing activity and seeking shade, but prolonged exposure can lead to dehydration, organ failure, and even death. 
• Even when animals survive, heat reduces milk yield and quality.

This trend is particularly concerning for tropical countries like India, where agriculture is already climate-sensitive.

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Key Findings of the FAO-WMO Report on India

• The FAO-WMO report highlights that India is one of the most vulnerable countries to rising heatwaves, with extreme heat posing a major threat to agriculture, especially rice production in the densely populated Ganges and Indus river basins. 

Global Findings of the FAO-WMO Report 

• Widespread Impact: Extreme heat events threaten the livelihoods and health of over one billion people globally, causing nearly half a trillion work hours to be lost every year, while severely damaging crops, livestock, fisheries, and forestry systems that form the backbone of agrifood economies.
• Rising Frequency and Severity: The report highlights that the frequency, intensity, and duration of heatwaves have increased sharply over the past fifty years, making agrifood systems increasingly unstable and vulnerable to climate shocks.
• Risk Multiplier Effect: Extreme heat acts as a “risk multiplier” by intensifying water stress, triggering flash droughts, increasing wildfire risks, and accelerating the spread of pests and crop diseases, thereby compounding agricultural losses.
• Physiological Damage to Life Systems: Heat stress disrupts biological processes in plants, animals, fish, and trees by narrowing their thermal safety limits, reducing photosynthesis, reproduction, growth, and survival, ultimately lowering productivity across ecosystems.
• Human and Labour Crisis: Agricultural workers face severe productivity losses due to extreme heat, with the report warning that in regions like South Asia, the number of days too hot to work could rise up to 250 annually, directly threatening rural livelihoods.

Recommendations & Solutions

The report outlines a set of urgent and multi-dimensional strategies aimed at strengthening agricultural resilience and reducing the growing risks posed by extreme heat events.

• Climate-Resilient Farming Practices: The report recommends adjusting planting windows, improving water management systems, and adopting heat-resistant crop and livestock varieties to reduce vulnerability to rising temperatures.
• Early Warning Systems: Strengthening meteorological forecasting and heatwave alerts can help farmers take timely actions such as irrigation scheduling, shade provision, and livestock protection.
• Financial and Social Protection: Improved access to climate insurance, cash transfers, and shock-responsive social protection systems is essential to safeguard farmers from income shocks caused by extreme heat.
• Technological and Scientific Innovation: Selective breeding, climate-adapted crop varieties, and improved farm management practices are necessary to build long-term resilience in agriculture.
• Strengthening Rural Capacity: The report emphasizes the need to address socio-economic barriers such as lack of awareness, training, and access to climate information in low- and middle-income countries like India.
• Global Cooperation and Climate Action: The report emphasizes international collaboration and strong policy action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support a transition toward sustainable, low-carbon, and climate-resilient agricultural systems.