Extreme weather events and global crop production

Deepak K Ray, University of Minnesota, Institute on the Environment, Saint Paul, United States, James S Gerber, University of Minnesota, St Paul, United States, Paul C West, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN, United States and Global Landscapes Initiative
Abstract:
Extreme weather events can lead to significant loss in crop production and even trigger global price spikes. However it is still not clear where exactly and what types of extreme events have resulted in sharp declines in crop production. Neither is it clear how frequently such extreme events have resulted in extreme crop production losses. Using extreme event metrics with a newly developed high resolution and long time series of crop statistics database we identify the frequency and type of extreme event driven crop production losses globally at high resolutions. In this presentation we will present our results as global maps identifying the frequency and type of extreme weather events that resulted in extreme crop production losses and quantify the losses. Understanding how extreme events affects crop production is critical for managing risk in the global food system
Back to: Agriculture in an Uncertain Future: Understanding and Responding to the Impacts of Extreme Events I