Food and Agriculture Organization Report
- 17 Oct 2024
In October, 2024, a recent Food and Agriculture Organization(FAO) report reveals that poor households globally lose up to 5% of their total income due to heat stress and 4.4% due to floods, highlighting the severe impact of climate change on the rural poor, particularly in India.
Key Points
- Impact of Climate Stress on Poor Households: Poor households are disproportionately affected by climate-related stresses such as heat and floods, according to the FAO's report titled The Unjust Climate.
- Globally, poor households lose 5% of their income due to heat stress and 4.4% due to floods, while relatively wealthier households suffer less financial impact.
- Effect on On-Farm and Off-Farm Income Sources; In India, the rural poor face significant income losses during climate events like droughts, as off-farm job opportunities reduce.
- To sustain themselves, they allocate more resources and time to agriculture, which is highly climate-sensitive. In contrast, families not exposed to significant climate stressors maintain more stable incomes.
- Structural Inequalities and Policy Recommendations: The report attributes the vulnerability of poor households to structural inequalities, urging governments to take action by expanding social security nets.
- To mitigate income losses due to climate stress, the FAO recommends anticipatory social protection programs that provide livelihood support ahead of extreme weather events.
- Need for Workforce Diversification and Gender Equity: Gender-transformative methodologies, such as those that challenge discriminatory norms, are suggested to empower women in economic decision-making.
- Global Financial Losses Due to Climate Change: The report states that globally, floods widen the income gap between poor and non-poor households by $21 billion annually, and heat stress leads to an additional $20 billion in losses.
