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The Effect of Climate Change on the Increase in Food Prices
04 Jan 2022The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Food Price Index recorded an increase of 28.1% compared to the previous year, with an average of 125.7 points throughout the world in 2021. According to FAO officials, while high prices are normally expected to increase production, high input costs, the ongoing global virus epidemic and increasingly uncertain climate conditions do not leave room for optimism for 2022.
If we look at the details of the price increases in food all over the world in 2021:
- FAO Cereal Price Index reached the highest level since 2012, recording an increase of 27.2% compared to 2020; Within the grain group, there was an increase of 44.1% in corn and 31.3% in wheat, while there was a 4% decrease in rice.
- FAO Vegetable Oil Price Index increased by 65.8% compared to 2020, the highest increase of all time.
- FAO Sugar Price Index reached the highest value since 2016, increasing by 29.8% compared to 2020.
- FAO Meat Price Index increased by 12.7% compared to 2020.
- FAO Dairy Products Price Index increased by 16.9%.
While inflation increases food prices in the world and in Turkey, it is stated that the agricultural food system faces many threats, including climate crisis, conflicts and economic shocks. In order to find solutions to these problems, a technical cooperation project called "Advanced Cost and Price Monitoring Support in the Agricultural Food Supply Chain" is being developed between Turkey and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization to strengthen the capacity of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.
Prof from Çukurova University. Dr. In the article titled "The Impact of Climate Change on Food Prices: OECD Example" published by Muammer Tekeoğlu and others, "...According to the results obtained, it has been determined that food prices have a direct connection with the climate. Because temperature increases and changes in precipitation due to climate change significantly negatively affect the amount of agricultural production. Therefore, decreases in production cause food prices to rise." It is called.
According to United Nations data, the problems caused by the climate crisis on the food system are as follows:
- Climate change is a major cause of hunger. The unsustainable use of land, soil, water and energy for food increases greenhouse gas emissions, which causes temperatures to rise; High temperatures negatively affect the resources needed to produce food. Nearly 811 million people faced hunger in 2020, and this figure is 161 million more than in 2019.
- The systems used to produce, package and distribute food account for a third of greenhouse gas emissions and cause 80% of biodiversity loss. If left untreated, emissions from food systems are expected to increase by 40% by 2050.
- The food system today accounts for 30% of the world's total energy consumption, and most of this energy is produced from fossil fuels that cause emissions.
- 17% of food is wasted and 10% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions come from unconsumed food.
- At high temperatures, yield and efficiency decrease; waste is increasing.
- The oceans have absorbed 90% of the extreme heat generated in the climate system, therefore they have become more acidic. Overfishing and oceans becoming more acidic threaten marine resources that feed 3.2 billion people.
- Changes in the snow cover, ice in lakes and rivers, and frozen soils in the polar regions have made the food obtained through grazing, hunting, fishing and gathering activities inefficient, and damaged the livelihoods and cultural identities of those living in the poles.
Some suggestions have been developed around the world to solve the problems caused by the climate crisis on the food system:
- Erosion control, management of pastures, drought and heat resistant genetic improvements, heterogeneous diet, reduced food loss and waste, methods to be developed to adapt food systems to climate change.
- Climate-sensitive smart agriculture initiatives developed on a pilot scale in many countries have increased productivity, reduced emissions, improved water efficiency and soil quality, and increased incomes and climate resilience.
- Healthy and sustainable nutrition offers significant opportunities, including reducing emissions from food systems, lower energy use, and reducing food derived from land animals.
For our country, it is critical to determine the effects of the climate crisis on the food system, to develop and implement solution methods. Unfortunately, under today's conditions, it does not seem possible for food prices to decrease in the world and in our country in a short time!
Mete İmer
ÇEVKO Foundation General Secretary
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