Agriculture and Humanity
For over 10,000 to 12,000 years, agriculture has been a cornerstone of human existence, evolving since our shift to settled life. Its origins lie in the river valleys of Mesopotamia, the Nile, the Indian subcontinent, and China.
These early agricultural activities centered around fertile soils and water sources in these regions. Through the feudal period, agriculture became intricately tied to trade. The Industrial Revolution ushered in a transformative era for agriculture with the advent of machinery. Today, amid the integration of advanced technologies, genetic engineering, and sustainable practices, agriculture aims to meet the demands of a burgeoning global population.
However, despite the evolutionary strides in agriculture, an enduring fear persists among farmers and those in agriculture—an apprehension rooted in the capricious nature of weather events.
Weather’s Impact on Agriculture
In our current era, marked by surging demand and intense pressure across the agricultural supply chain, the ability to swiftly adapt to weather conditions has never been more crucial. Farmers grapple with the challenge of balancing increased demand with labor shortages, climate shifts, and daily uncertainties.
What they require is a solution that streamlines decision-making processes. Agricultural technology has stepped up to address these challenges and comprehend the influence of weather events on daily operations.
• Is it reasonable to advance the planting date by a week due to rising temperatures?
• Can we optimize water consumption based on the projected rainfall?
• What is the likelihood of frost affecting my crops this year, and if so, when does the risk peak?
These questions demand prompt and highly accurate answers.
Heatwaves, droughts, excessive rainfall, wildfires, frost, and more—regardless of the weather, if producers cannot adeptly respond to these events, losses are inevitable.
• In the United States, drought and heat damage amount to an estimated $17 billion in annual crop losses. According to NOAA’s study, this figure surged to $21.5 billion nationwide in 2022. Early fall freezes can cost US farmers up to $28.6 billion in yield losses. Floods in 2019 impeded farmers from planting on more than 19.4 million acres of cropland.
• Europe shares a similar scenario. Over the last 50 years, losses from heatwaves and drought have tripled. This serves as a stark indicator of the ongoing climate change.
• Another study unveils that between 2015 and 2019, Southeast Asia witnessed the loss of 20.64 million crops due to weather events.
Escalating Risks Over Time
As the impacts of climate change intensify, every sector, including agriculture, must dynamically adapt. Shifting weather patterns exacerbate predictability challenges, resulting in more frequent and severe weather events.
Rising sea surface temperatures amplify storm potency, leading to larger losses. The overall global temperature increase induces more frequent heatwaves and droughts. Numerous examples brought by climate change directly impact the agricultural sector.
To effectively manage these risks and make timely, proactive decisions, the demand for accurate and timely forecasts is rapidly escalating.
Buluttan Weather Intelligence: A Strategic Partner for Agriculture
Buluttan Weather Intelligence provides reliable and timely access to highly accurate, high-resolution hyper-local weather forecasts. This empowers proactive measures to safeguard renewable agricultural assets.
With models reaching up to 100m resolution, the predictive accuracy ensures greater protection for agricultural products against unforeseen weather events.
Utilizing the Buluttan API, you can receive necessary meteorological parameters at regular intervals and verify past extreme weather events for insured agricultural assets.
