Greetings everyone hope everyone is well I am fine. I came to the engagement challenge teaching team to participate in the contest of season twenty week one. Bangladesh is a agricultural major country. Everywhere in Bangladesh, the soil is fertile and suitable for cultivation. Where farmers cultivate and grow crops for people's livelihood. Let's take a look at the contents of the contest.

---

Describe in detail how agricultural productivity is affected by climate change.

^{made by canva pro}

• Effect of Climate Change on crops productivity

Global warming is a global issue that has impacts the different fields one of them is agriculture. Climate change factors and agricultural yield have been proven to have an interaction that is not linear, direct or simple hence requires multifaceted components. The following part shows an analysis of how climate change affect agricultural productivity.

Temperature Changes

The first outcome of climate change is the change in the mean temperature of the climate system, that is the rise in the mean temperature.

Crop Growth and Development: Several crops have different ideal temperatures that help their growth and development occur flawlessly. For instance, many of the basic food crops such as wheat, rice, and maize have for example shown sensitivity to increase in temperatures. Heat increases the rate of growth and development of crops but in a negative way because of heat stress during the period of development and growth of crops.

Pest and Disease Pressure: Higher temperatures increases the chill hours of pests and diseases which affect crops extending their range and life cycle. This results to more incidence of infestations and outbreak as well as the frequent application of pesticides hence affecting agricultural sustainability.

Precipitation Patterns

• Climate change alters precipitation patterns globally:

Droughts: Frequencies and intensities of droughts can be high that the availability of water for irrigation is highly compromised causing low crop yields. Rains are damaging the produce and drought conditions stress up the plant and ultimately harms the quality of the produce.

Flooding: On the other hand, some areas may record intense downpours which may result in flooding of areas. When fields are flooded there is increased cases of soil erosion, nutrient leaching and losses of crops.

Irrigation Needs: The agricultural expenditure rises when there is change in the precipitation patterns that entails alteration in the irrigation systems. In some cases farmers may need to spend more to acquire better irrigation equipment or change their cropping systems in order to suit the existing water conditions.

Soil Health

• Soil health is crucial for maintaining agricultural productivity:

Erosion: Weather factors like torrential rains result in soil erosion the soil nutrients needed for the crops growth is washed away.

Soil Moisture Levels: Fluctuations in temperature and in the amount of rainfall available mean that the moisture content within the soil is going to alter and change the growth rate of plants in turn.

Nutrient Availability: In relation to changes in the physical environment, climate change can affect the microbial processes in the soil that is used for nutrient cycling which may lack nutrient inputs or have an incorrect balance for crops.

Carbon Dioxide Levels

• Increased atmospheric CO2 levels have both positive and negative effects on agriculture:

Photosynthesis Enhancement: Because of the so-called CO2 fertilization, higher proportions of the gas can in some cases increase the rates of photosynthesis and thus help increase yields under specific circumstances.

Nutritional Quality: But high CO2 concentrations can have adverse effects on the nutritional value of some horticultural crops in the sense that it is likely to decrease protein and or essential micronutrient concentrations.

Extreme Weather Events

The frequency of extreme weather events such as hurricanes, storms, heatwaves, and cold snaps has been rising due to climate change: The frequency of extreme weather events such as hurricanes, storms, heatwaves, and cold snaps has been rising due to climate change:

Crop Damage: These event can result in direct yield reduction through physical destruction of the crops or through a reduction in harvest.

Supply Chain Disruptions: Adverse weather conditions also affects transport networks that are essential in transporting goods from production areas, for instance, the farms to the markets.

Economic Impacts

• The economic implications of climate change on agriculture are profound:

Market Volatility: Market risk because of climate change impact on the yield size and consequently, on supply leads to income disparity among farmers.

Adaptation Costs: This paper has sought to identify some of the potential costs that farmers may incur as they endeavour to adopt changes or invest in improved technologies that may help them reduce the impacts of climate change.

Social Implications

• The social dimensions include food security concerns:

Food Supply Risks: Sometimes the agricultural yields shrink in an alarming rate thus lower food production rates that are more expensive to consumers.

Migration Pressures: Here the role of climate change becomes clearer in that in places where agriculture is a leading industry where impacts like drought are likely to negatively affect productivity then there may likely be pressures to migrate towards better living conditions.

Concisely, climate change is a big problem for the development of agriculture because of its impact on the temperature, moisture, soil, CO2 levels, storminess, economic stability, and social organization of food systems.

Discuss how extreme rains and extreme droughts damage crops.

^{made by canva pro}

One of the worst things that can be associate with the weather is that it can result in the destruction of crops because, for instance, there may be heavy rains leading to floods, which can hinder planting seasons or there might be dry seasons a result of which crops may not yield as expected. All the above-said phenomena destabilise the microclimate.required for adequate crop yield and causes immense economic losses and hunger.

Effects of humidity on agriculture especially during heavy rain falls

Waterlogging and Root Damage: This type of climate hampers plant growth since it results to water logged soil whose effect is that it restricts oxygen supply to the roots of the plant. This condition can lead to diseases such as the root rot and other diseases that have serious effects on the growth of the plants and may even result to the death of the plants.

Soil Erosion: Rainwater also causes soil erosion and this affects the crop land as the top soil that is very appropriate for crop growth is washed away. Soil depletion diminishes the productivity of the land and reduces the capability of the earth to feed the people in the next farming seasons.

Fungal Diseases: Fungal illness causing organisms are favored in wet conditions hence increasing the possibility of attack on crops. For example, blights and mildews prefer high humidities and these cause low yields and quality of the produce.

Delayed Planting and Harvesting: He added that severe rained can hamper the planting exercise or even warrant no harvesting due to water aftermath on soil. It can also cloud or even totally destroy agricultural seasons or compromise the crop quality if it is harvested later.

Flooding: Worst floods can wash over fields, giving limited and no access to those fields for a long time this causes crop failure.

Effect of severe droughts on crops

Water Scarcity: Drought causes dryness in the soil and this is very dangerous to seeds, and thus causes failure of seed germination and plant growth. Sometimes because of lack of water vapor production, emergence of crops or their growth is poor or, in worst case, drought causes emergence of stunted crops.

Nutrient Deficiency: Drought is also likely to affect the nutrient acquisition capabilities of plants because the availability of water reduces in times of drought. Soil moisture has a negative impact on nutrients because it preserves nutrients making the nutrients to become less available hence causing deficiency to the crops.

Increased Pest Infestation: Water stressed plants have low disease tolerance as well as low ability to defend against pests such as aphids or locusts that prefer drought stressed plants.

Reduced Yield Quality and Quantity: Both water scarcity and stress from pests or diseases in the farm usually lead to low yields within the farm both in terms of the amount produced commonly known as yield and the quality of the crop as expressed by their size, taste, nutritional value among others.

Long-term Soil Degradation: This acts to damages the ground term this as desertification whereby the soil loses its ability to retain moisture, and through several instances of drought, the soil turns infertile.

Economic Consequences: Besides the current losses, extreme weather conditions not only affect the crop productions but also negatively affect the economy of farmers, who depend on the proceeds from produce sales.

The precipitation and rainfall extremes and also the periods of drought are threatening the productivity of the agriculture directly and indirectly through the deterioration of the soil health and pests’ and diseases’ invasion, as well as economic instabilities.

Discuss in stages how new pests and diseases are emerging as a result of climate change AND what measures farmers can take to prevent them.

^{made by canva pro}

New Pest and Disease Complexes as a Result of Climate Change

Changing Climate Conditions: These climate change effects include change in temperature, precipitation and occurrence of extreme weather conditions. Such changes can actually lead to the creation of conducive environment for pest and diseases that are normally restricted by conditions in climate.

Range Expansion: The higher temperatures lead to the increase of reproductive rates of pests and pathogens and the spread of their area of occurrence. For instance, we have such insects as corn earworms which are shifting towards the pole area that was previously unsuitable for them due to cold weather.

Increased Survival Rates: They further told the committee that outbreaks could be caused by mild winters since pests and pathogens would over-winter and have large populations in the spring. As we know, this can raise the rate of outbreaks.

Altered Plant Vulnerability: Climate change leads to changes in environmental conditions and may result in loss of plant vigour, increased pest and diseases attacks. Some of these threats ranging from biotic factors may cause stress to the plants, and their defense mechanisms may be affected.

Changes in Pest Life Cycles: Since pests are affected by temperature changes, warmer temperatures enhance the breeding rate of pests and hence multiple generations are produced in one growing season thus posing more danger to crops.

Preventive Measures for Farmers

Integrated Pest Management : The principles of Integrated Pest Management include biological control, habitat manipulation and the development of pest resistant crop varieties that farmers can use to contour pest levels without having to go for chemical treatments.

Crop Rotation and Diversity: Techniques such as crop rotation and intercropping mean that the pest’s life cycle is interrupted while the diseases spread is slowed.

Monitoring and Early Detection: Practicalities of using check and monitor systems help farmers to identify the initial stages of pest or disease infestation thereby enabling the farmer to apply control measures in good time.

Use of Resistant Varieties: Sowing seeds of crop varieties that have a genetic make up to fail to diseases or insect can greatly reduce losses.

Soil Health Management: Conservation practices, for example, by better management of soil as through the use of cover crops, and minimum tillage, improve plant health status, hence increasing their ability to withstand pests and diseases.

Discuss what changes in irrigation systems are required due to climate change.

^{made by canva pro}

Climate change has become a global issue and is also affecting water resources in a very big way, hence an indication that adaptation in irrigation strategies should be adopted to enhance sustainable food production and food security. The changes required in irrigation systems due to climate change can be categorized into several key areas: efficiency, technology, system, water, and policy aspects involve increase in efficiency and systematic approaches, technology factors and systems used, multiple sources and policy factors.

Efficiency Improvements

Given that climate change has effects on precipitation patterns and evaporation losses then water use efficiency becomes an irrigation system imperative. This can be in form of using efficient irrigation methods like the drip irrigation and subsurface irrigation that supplies water right to the plant root thus reducing the losses through evaporation and surface water runoff. Further, the use of soil moisture sensors can assist farmers in watering the plants only when they are required hence saving water.

Technology Integration

Technological advancement including remote sensing technologies, satellite imagery and data analysis can be applied in improving the operation of irrigation systems in a changing climate. They provide a way of monitoring the moisture levels in the soil and the health status of the crops in the farms so as to; schedule the times of irrigation more effectively. In addition, automated irrigation systems can provide changes of water application depending on the weather conditions and the state of the soil.

System Redesign

Some of the existing water delivery structures may need to be reconfigured to promote efficient water use in view of shifting precipitation patterns and frequent weather-related disasters. As for example,‘drainage systems, may need improvements to accommodate higher intensity rainfall in order to avoid flood or erosion’. Firstly, reservoirs powering wind farms may require enlargement or strengthening that enables them to hold and retain more rainwater during storm events with a view of withstanding drought situations.

Water Source Diversification

Due to the changes in the climatic conditions that are characterised by reduced availability of the normal water sources such as river and aquifer the water sources should diversify. This also entails the possibilities of such sources as rain water, wastewater, and sea water where possible. In this manner, water collection can be made more reliable, hence making agriculture more resistant to the conditions brought about by climate variation.

Policy Adjustments

Last but not the least; there is dire need to set proper policies that need to be implemented or re-evaluated in order to promote sustainable use of water in the context of irrigation under the changing climate conditions. Some of this can be done by subsidizing farmers to adopt efficient water use technologies or use of policies that compel farmers to embrace efficiency in use of water. Integrative approaches in which people of all levels of the local and supranational populations and governments, the scientific community, charities, as well as global organizations, will create adaptive strategies that meet the short-term needs while pursuing the long-term goals of sustainable development.

Therefore, the issues of managing the irrigation systems specifically as a response to climate change are multifaceted and involve the following sub-tasks: efficiency improvements with technology integration, redesign of existing infrastructure, water sources diversification and policy support.

Explain the two best ways to respond to climate change.

^{made by canva pro}

Climate change is a complex issue, which needs solutions in terms of both reducing its impact and adapting to it. The two best ways to respond to climate change can be categorized.

1. Mitigation Strategies

Mitigation is generally the strategies that have been put in place specifically to curtail, minimize or avoid the release of GHGs in the atmosphere. This approach has been designed in an attempt to tame climate change by reducing the causes of heat signature increase on the planet. Key mitigation strategies include:

Transitioning to Renewable Energy: Absolute reduction in climate change can be made possible by eradicating the use of fossil resources since they are leading causes of GHG emissions and replacing them with renewable energy sources including solar, wind, hydro and geothermal. This transition not only improves the reduction of carbon emission but also the aspect of energy security and economic diversity.

Enhancing Energy Efficiency: Enhancing efficiency in the usages of energy especially in buildings, transport and industries are key strategies that can be deployed to cut down energy use and carbon emissions. If there are more stringent efficiency measures put in place on appliances, vehicles, and industry-based equipment, then there would be significant reductions in the levels of GHG emitted into the atmosphere.

Carbon Sequestration: Some of the methods which support the native capabilities of ecosystems to sequester carbon include afforestation that refers to the planting of trees, reforestation which implies the reinstatement of forests and improved Soil Management practices.

2. Adaptation Strategies

Adjustment of ecological, social, or economical activities in accordance to real or anticipated climates stimuli is adaptation. This approach acknowledges the fact that climate change to some extent is inevitable and seeks to reduce its effects on the affected communities and economies. Key adaptation strategies include:

Infrastructure Resilience: Allowing the construction of flood barriers, better drainage systems, and heat-resistant structures are among the various ways through which communities can be protected from frequent and severe natural disasters that are as a result of climate change. Other effects of Urban planning that involves green areas is that they help in controlling of urban heat islands.

Water Resource Management: For instance, due to climate change, there are changes in precipitation and water availability hence there is need to develop sound water resource management strategies.

Conclusion

The effects of climate change on agriculture are severe as weather patterns change, extreme weather events increase, and pests and diseases spread into new areas. These alterations imperil crop yields, interrupt food supply networks, and test the sustainability of farming methods. Adapting is crucial to soften the impacts, such as cultivating crops that can withstand various climates and employing environmentally friendly agricultural techniques. Policymakers must accelerate climate activities to shelter food accessibility and guarantee the resilience of farming systems confronting continual environmental modifications.