Science me DU

[bhikkhu]

9. The impact of changing weather patterns on agriculture is another big thing

Modern industrialized agriculture produces much of our food, and we depend on its productivity and stability to sustain 7 billion + humans. Ordinary projections show a great number of challenges to continue feeding a growing number - aquifer depletion, salinization of irrigated croplands, encroachment of housing, desertification, etc. Add climate change to the equation and its an even bigger challenge. Some low lying areas (such as much of heavily-populated Bagledesh) are likely to loose a great deal due to ocean levels rising, but the global picture is likely to be nearly as difficult, and less predictable. Drought can be gotten around for a time by pumping aquifers and relying on snowmelt to irrigate reduced acreage, but neither of those last for very long if things are sustained.