A record-breaking heatwave is threatening to scorch India’s wheat harvest, CNBC reported.
This is only a glimpse of what is to come if countries do not address climate change, and work on further advancement of biotech solutions, Good Day Bio warns.
“Temperatures soared in March to the highest ever for the month on record going back to 1901, shriveling India’s wheat crop during a crucial growth period,” Bloomberg reports.
The northern and central regions of some states even see forecasts of 120 Fahrenheit, which experts fear will further impact the local and international markets, CNBC states.
India is the second-largest wheat grower in the world, and their wheat yields are set to shrink between 10% and 50%, adding to the wheat shortage being caused by the ware in Ukraine.
“This is just a snapshot of what we will see in the next 20 to 30 years,” climate scientist Vimal Mishra told CBS News. “There is no doubt that in future the heat waves will occur more often, last longer and cover larger parts of the subcontinent … affecting water availability, agriculture, businesses, and energy demand.”
Biotechnology can help solve the problem
A company called Bioceres in Argentina has developed HB4 wheat, which is genetically modified to be able to endure drought, and was approved for import in Brazil in November.
Climate change is something that needs to be addressed sooner rather than later, as with its advance the food supply will sustain severe blows, and this will affect not only India but many other countries as well, Good Day Bio concludes.
