November 13, 2009

FAO report warns dangerous impact of climate change on agriculture

A new report by the FAO warned that climate change may worsen a wide variety of global food safety issues, due to negative impacts on the agriculture industry.

Global warming is projected to accelerate in the 21st century, and the primary symptoms of climate change are stronger storm systems, extreme precipitation and dry spells as well as rising sea levels.

These changes will have widespread implications for food production, food security and food safety, according to FAO researchers.

Climate change could increase the frequency of toxic algal blooms, promoting the growth of deadly vibrio vulnificus and facilitating the methylation of mercury, all of which are hazardous to human health, said the report.

Data collected by the FAO also indicate that rising temperature and humidity could increase the prevalence of foodborne diseases such as salmonella and campylobacter, and pathogens such as E. coli and salmonella are likely to become more virulent.

Though more research is needed to better understand the microbiological implications of climate change, environmental changes are thought to impact horizontal gene transfer, an important contributor to the increase in antibiotic resistance.

The report said climate change may also affect zoonoses, diseases that are transmitted between animals and humans, by increasing the transmission cycle of vectors like mosquitoes and flies.