In the village of Kamimomi in Japan's Okayama prefecture, rice farmers are facing challenges due to climate change impacting their harvest. Rising temperatures, attributed to climate change, have led to earlier and hotter harvest seasons, affecting the quality and yield of rice crops.
Last year, Japan experienced its hottest July on record, with temperatures significantly above average. This trend is part of a global pattern of increasing temperatures, with a 1.2 C rise since preindustrial times. Scientists warn that limiting this increase to 1.5 C is crucial to avoid severe consequences like extreme heat, storms, and ice melt.
The impact of these rising temperatures is evident in Japan's rice production. Last year's harvest was poor nationwide due to exceptionally hot weather, leading to a decrease in rice inventory. This year, the country is facing a summer rice shortage, with some retailers enforcing purchase limits.
Experts explain that temperatures above 27 C can reduce starch buildup in rice grains, affecting their appearance and quality. Around a fifth of rice farms have reported decreased quality due to rising temperatures.
Furthermore, the aging agricultural workforce in Japan, with an average age of nearly 69, faces additional challenges working in extreme heat. Older farmers are particularly vulnerable to heatstroke, posing a threat to the continuity of farming practices.
To address these challenges, the government is promoting the adoption of heat-resistant rice variants like Sai no Kizuna. Developed to withstand heat and maintain quality, this strain offers a potential solution to the impact of climate change on rice production.
Research centers are actively developing more resilient rice strains to combat rising temperatures. However, the process of developing and introducing new variants can take up to a decade, with the need to convince farmers to switch to these heat-resistant varieties.
While the transition to heat-resistant strains is crucial for the future of rice farming in Japan, only a small percentage of paddy fields have adopted these variants so far. As temperatures continue to rise, the urgency to develop and implement resilient rice varieties becomes increasingly apparent to safeguard Japan's rice harvest against the effects of climate change.
