Between February and May 2008, 'hunger riots' erupted in the South - particularly in African countries such as Senegal, Burkina Faso, Mozambique, Egypt, Algeria, the Ivory Coast, Mauritania, Madagascar and Cameroon. The riots have provided a clear warning that populations can no longer face the increasing prices of basic food products - such as rice, groundnut oil, potatoes and corn.

Climate change, together with global population and income growth, is a major threat to food security in the world. This food policy report presents research results which quantify climate change impact, assess the consequences for food security and estimate the investment required to offset the negative effects on human wellbeing. It brings together detailed modelling of crop growth under climate change using two scenarios to simulate future climate.

As the fourth most important food crop after rice, wheat and maize, potatoes are of invaluable importance for the diets and livelihoods of millions of people worldwide. On the occasion of the International Year of the Potato, this issue of InfoResources Focus takes a look at the challenges that climate change poses to agriculture, and more specifically, to potato farming. The report discusses the impact of global temperature rises, higher carbon dioxide atmospheric concentration and higher disease and pest pressure on the potato and its wild relatives.

Among the most worrying aspects of climate change is its effects on the world's food supply. This article explores the urgent need to put climate change at the heart of agricultural research programmes to ensure the adaptation of major crops to a changing climate.
The author argues that, while the previous focus of crop scientists was on the improvement of yields, with successive International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports warning that increased flooding and drought will shift crop systems, “climate-proofing” of crops has become crucial. Key findings include:

There is a growing realisation that climate change will present a serious challenge for farmers – and that could mean big profits for companies that can help them adapt to environmental stress. This article examines the new generation of genetically modified (GM) crops which are emerging in response to a changing climate.
Points made include:

This paper reports on a regional climate change model developed to predict the impacts of climate change of Chinese agriculture. The model, developed by the UK’s Hadley Centre for Climate Change Predication and Research, took into account climate and soil variables, and the influence of higher atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide on plant metabolism.

This paper investigates the relationship between adoption of modern rice varieties and rice varietal diversity on household farms in Bangladesh. As shown in previous studies, adoption of modern varieties depends on agroecological- and input-related factors, including the availability and use of irrigation facilities, such as tubewells. Having irrigation affects the diversity index significantly and positively, which could be due to the diffusion of more modern varieties (MVs) in areas where irrigation is available and accessible.

The climate-smart agriculture (CSA) concept reflects the ambition to improve the integration of agriculture development and climate responsiveness.

CSA technologies and practices present opportunities for addressing climate change challenges, as well as for promoting economic growth and development of the agriculture sector according to the authors of this country report on Sri Lanka.