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IFPRI Report Affixes Numbers to Climate Change

The International Food Policy Research Institute says 25 million more children will be malnourished in 2050 due to effects of climate change. This study compares the number of malnourished children in 2050 with and without climate change. Gerald Nelson, IFPRI senior research fellow and report lead author, says this outcome could be averted with $7 billion per year of additional investments by the U.S. in agricultural productivity.

Nelson says investments are needed in agricultural research, improved irrigation, and rural roads to increase market access for poor farmers. Without new technology and adjustments by farmers, climate change will reduce irrigated wheat yields in 2050 by around 30% in developing countries compared to a no-climate change scenario. Irrigated rice yields will fall by 15%.

The report adds, even without climate change, food prices will rise, but climate change makes the problem worse. Without climate change, 2050 wheat prices will increase globally by almost 40%. With climate change, wheat prices will increase by 170–194%. Rice is projected to increase 60% without climate change, but it will go up 113–121% with climate change. 2050 maize prices will be more than 60% higher without climate change, but they will be 148–153% higher with climate change.