A new joint report by the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Meteorological Organization warns that extreme heat is pushing global food systems to the brink, endangering the livelihoods of more than a billion people. Rising temperatures and increasingly frequent heatwaves are already reshaping how food is produced, with the report estimating that nearly half a trillion work hours are lost annually due to heat-related impacts.
According to Celeste Saulo, extreme heat is becoming a defining factor in agriculture, acting as a “compounding risk” that worsens existing vulnerabilities. Heatwaves—extended periods of unusually high temperatures—are affecting crops, livestock, fisheries and forests, while also placing agricultural workers at serious health risk.
The report describes extreme heat as a major risk multiplier across agrifood systems. Qu Dongyu emphasized that rising temperatures are putting increasing pressure on food production and the communities that depend on it. Crop yields for many staple foods begin to decline when temperatures exceed 30°C, while livestock—especially pigs and poultry—face stress at even lower temperatures, leading to reduced productivity and, in severe cases, death.
Marine ecosystems are also under strain, with warming oceans reducing oxygen levels and affecting fish populations. In 2024 alone, 91 percent of the global ocean experienced at least one marine heatwave. Forests, meanwhile, are becoming more vulnerable as extreme heat disrupts natural processes and raises the risk of wildfires.
The impacts are already visible in several regions. In Kyrgyzstan, a 2025 heatwave pushed temperatures far above normal, reducing cereal harvests by 25 percent while worsening water shortages and triggering locust outbreaks. In Brazil, prolonged heat and drought between 2023 and 2024 cut soybean yields by up to 20 percent. Similarly, a severe heatwave in North America in 2021 caused widespread crop losses and intensified wildfires.
The human cost is equally concerning. In parts of South Asia, sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America, extreme heat could make outdoor work unsafe for up to 250 days each year, threatening agricultural productivity and worker safety.
To address these growing risks, the report calls for urgent adaptation measures, including the development of heat-resilient crops, changes in planting schedules and improved farm management practices. It also stresses the importance of early warning systems and financial protections such as insurance and social safety nets for farmers. Ultimately, the UN agencies emphasize that safeguarding global food security will require both stronger resilience on the ground and a broader transition away from high-emission pathways.
