 |
| photo credits: https://unsplash.com/ |
For the development of food security, a thorough understanding of the dynamics involved in food production is essential. It has been proven that increasing crop yields reduces poverty significantly. Several factors influence yield, or the amount of harvested crop product in a given region.
Crop production is influenced by a number of factors. These factors must be taken into consideration by a crop producer (farmer) when preparing and producing crops. Some of these variables are beyond a producer's reach, whereas others can be improved for better performance. Some causes, on the other hand, are beyond the control of the crop producer. Temperature, solar radiation, strong winds, inundation or flood, rainfall, carbon dioxide, and altitude are all factors that a crop producer might not be able to control.
Today the supply of food grains is hampered by a variety of factors. Cropland is being diverted to other uses at a growing rate around the world.
It is estimated that an additional 120 million hectares will be needed by 2030, primarily in developing countries, to sustain conventional growth in food production. In order to meet the demand for food in Sub-Saharan Africa, the demand for irrigated land is expected to rise by more than 50%. More than 90% of Asia's potential cropland has already been used, according to the FAO.
Loss of Cropland:
Cropland has been lost for a number of causes, the most notable of which are as follows:
 |
| photo credits: https://unsplash.com/ |
Deforestation and unsustainable agricultural practices have resulted in a loss of cropland habitat. Several researchers estimate that 20,000-50,000 square kilometers of land are lost globally each year, especially due to soil erosion, with losses 3-6 times higher in Africa, Latin America, and Asia than in North America and Europe. Forests are declining in most parts of Asia, agriculture is spreading to marginal land, and nutrient leaching & soil erosion are hastening land degradation.
Rapid urbanization and infrastructure growth have largely come at the expense of agricultural land. When towns and cities expand, neighboring cropland is reduced to make room for highways, factories, and structures. With projected growth in global urban population from around 3 billion people in 2000 to 5 billion people in 2030 (according to UN projections), the built-up area is expected to rise to around 0.7% by 2030. This will almost certainly come at the cost of cropland.
 |
| photo credits: https://unsplash.com/ |
Changes in the ratio of non-food to food crops could have a big effect on the amount of cropland available for food production. Given the circumstances of high oil prices and the initial perception that they are environmentally friendly in reducing carbon dioxide emissions, biofuels (which include biodiesel from palm oil and ethanol from sugarcane, corn, and soya-bean) have become common.
Environmental factors affecting crop yields
Abiotic and biotic constraints are two types of environmental factors that influence crop yields. In general, as the planet warms, these influences become more prominent, resulting in climate change. Abiotic stresses have a negative impact on plant growth and productivity, as well as causing morphological, physiological, biochemical, and molecular changes.
Abiotic constraints
Effects of climatic conditions on crops:
Climate change manifests itself in a variety of ways, including changes in annual rainfall, average temperature, global CO2 levels, and sea-level variations, all of which have a negative effect on crop yields. For the next few decades, temperature and rainfall increases are projected to have a major negative effect on a wide variety of agricultural activities.
Agriculture is increasingly affected by severe weather events as a result of climate change, resulting in significant crop yield losses. Crop plants are also vulnerable to stresses because they were bred for high yield rather than stress tolerance. Global warming is the cause of climate change.
Drought:
 |
| photo credits: https://unsplash.com/ |
Drought occurs when the amount of available water from rainfall and irrigation is inadequate to fulfill the crop's evapotranspiration requirements. Changes in water supply (volumes and seasonal distribution), as well as water demand for agriculture and other competing industries, drive climate change.
Abiotic stresses such as volatile temperature regimes and their related impacts on water supply are known to be altered by imminent climate change adversities, leading to drought, increased disease and pest incidence, and severe weather events on a local to regional scale. During the crop growth cycle, moisture or drought stress causes a 30–70% loss of productivity in field crops.
Heat stress:
 |
| Photo credits: https://www.pexels.com/ |
Heat stress occurs when the temperature rises above a certain point over an extended period of time, causing irreversible damage to plant growth and development. By 2050, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predicts a 3–4° increase in temperature.
Climate change has a negative impact on seed germination percentages, photosynthetic productivity, crop phenology, reproductive biology, flowering times, pollen viability, and pollinator populations. Heat stress is harmful to plant growth stages, including reproductive organ generation and work.
Cold stress:
Plants that are exposed to cold or chilling stress at temperatures ranging from 0 to 15°C suffer significant crop losses. Non-freezing low temperatures damage or destroy a variety of tropical and subtropical crops, resulting in symptoms such as slow germination, stunted seedlings, chlorosis (growth retardation), decreased leaf expansion, wilting, and necrosis.
Soil properties:
Soils are the top layer of the earth's crust that is formed primarily by rock weathering, humus formation, and material transfer. They differ in origin, appearance, characteristics, and capacity for development. Soil fertility refers to a soil's ability to supply nutrients required for a crop's optimal development. One of the most significant factors in crop production is soil fertility. Its ability to sustain crop production is determined by a wide range of physical, chemical, and biological characteristics.
Since it is a major source of micronutrients (Fe, B, Cl, Mn, Zn, Cu, Mo, Ni) and macronutrients (N, P, K, Ca, S, Mg, C, O, H), soil fertility is a significant aspect of soil productivity. Plant shortages are caused by a lack of these nutrients in the soil, and their abundance contributes to toxicities, which have a negative effect on crop yields.
Floods:
 |
| photo credits: https://unsplash.com/ |
Plants are subjected to a variety of stressful conditions during floods, which are primarily determined by the depth and length of the water. Most crops are harmed by soil waterlogging, with the exception of rice, which, like other wetland species, thrives when not fully submerged.
Flooding has become more common in many lowlands and cultivated areas as a result of climate change, causing significant harm to human beings, including declines in crop yields and food supplies. Heavy rainfall, low soil drainage, and poor irrigation practices are all factors that contribute to flooding. Soil waterlogging has a negative impact on crop production, especially for dryland species (such as cereals, legumes, tubers, and other root crops). For non-adapted crops, the excess water causes complex changes in plant physiology.
The immediate lack of oxygen needed to maintain aerobic respiration of submerged tissues is the first restriction for plant growth under flooding conditions. Flooding events can be classified into two categories: Waterlogging, in which only the root system within the soil is impacted, and submergence, in which sections or the whole shoot is submerged.
Biotic factors affecting crop yields
Invasive alien species:
 |
| photo credits: https://unsplash.com/ |
Another danger to food security is invasive alien species, such as pests and diseases. Pests and pathogens have had a particularly negative impact on crop yields in Sub-Saharan Africa, the world's poorest and most food-insecure country. Plant diseases, pest outbreaks, and weeds can spread more easily as a result of increased climate extremes.
In times of drought or disaster, the spread of invasive alien species is aided by the provision of humanitarian food aid, which is subject to lower sanitary and phytosanitary requirements.
Plant pests, weeds, and animal diseases can thus spread across physical and political borders, posing a threat to food security. Small and subsistence farmers, as well as those who directly rely on ecosystem services, are the most affected by invasive alien species, as they rely on the safety net offered by natural ecosystems in terms of food, access to fuel, medicinal items, and construction materials, as well as protection from hazards.
3. Livestock:
 |
| photo credits: https://unsplash.com/ |
The livestock sector has been under increasing pressure to meet the rising demand for high-value animal protein. From about 200 tonnes in 1997-98, annual meat production is expected to grow to more than 375 million tonnes by 2030. This rise in demand for livestock products is due to a number of factors.
As urbanization expands, it encourages infrastructure changes, such as cold chains, which allow for the trade of perishable foods. In comparison to rural areas, city dwellers have a more diverse diet (high in animal proteins and fats).
Rising demand for livestock products would almost certainly have a negative effect on the climate. The area needed for the production of animal feed is projected to be one-third of all arable land. More land for grazing and feed production for the meat industry could be diverted from crops.
According to the FAO, over 70% of all grazing land in dry areas is considered degraded, owing to livestock-related overgrazing, compaction, and erosion. Increased demand for meat also means more water and feed crops like maize and soybean are needed. Moreover, the large-scale industrial processing of livestock products is mostly found near urban areas, posing environmental and public health risks.
Reference List:
Factor affecting crop production by Ankush Singh, available at:
https://www.slideshare.net/AnkushSingh48/factor-affecting-crop-production
Factors Affecting Yield of Crops By Tandzi Ngoune Liliane and Mutengwa Shelton Charles, available at:
Top 5 Factors Affecting Crop Production by DK sinha, available at:
https://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/geography/top-5-factors-affecting-crop-production/42222
What are the factors that affect agriculture in India? by Geeta Gupta, available at:
About Author:
No comments:
Post a Comment