Climate change is severely impacting food availability worldwide, with vanilla production in top-producing countries at serious risk due to extreme heat and drought. Efforts are being made to mitigate these effects through technological advancements and alternative crop methods.
The Impact of Climate Change on Vanilla Production and Beyond
Climate change is having a significant impact on food availability, reducing access to food, and affecting food quality worldwide. The world’s top vanilla-producing countries are facing a significant threat due to extreme heat, with production at serious risk.
What’s Happening?
Vanilla plants typically thrive under tree canopies in regions where crops are grown in Mexico. However, this year’s extreme heat and drought have put the country’s vanilla output at risk. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, Mexico is one of the top five producers of vanilla.
“Vanilla production is at serious risk as a result of the effects caused by climate change,” said University of Veracruz professor Alejandro Quirino Villarreal in an interview with Modern Farmer.
The Impact on Vanilla Production
Farmers estimate that they have lost around 80% of this year’s produce, making it challenging to sustain vanilla production. This is not only a concern for the farmers but also for the Chinantec community, who consider vanilla production to be of cultural significance. There are seven varieties of vanilla found in the Chinantla region, and the production challenges threaten their long-term significance.
“If we stop naming certain species in Chinantec language because they are not present anymore, we start losing the language,” explained Elias Garcia Martinez.
The Bigger Picture
Climate change is expected to disrupt food availability, reduce access to food, and affect food quality. Changes in temperature, precipitation patterns, extreme weather events, and water availability may lead to reduced agricultural productivity. Africa is expected to be hit the hardest by climate change, with Madagascar ranking second on the World Food Program USA’s list of countries most affected by climate change.
What’s Being Done?
There are efforts underway to mitigate the impacts of an overheating planet on food production. Advances in technology can help address some of these challenges. For example, researchers have developed a technology that uses microbes and carbon dioxide to yield materials that can help stabilize food supplies worldwide. In addition, studies have shown encouraging results for crops such as chickpeas, which can be grown in urban areas, providing additional food security.
Global Implications
The effects of climate change on agriculture are not limited to vanilla production. Other crops, such as olive oil, have also been impacted by extreme weather conditions. The World Food Program USA ranks Madagascar second on its list of countries most affected by climate change.
