SINGAPORE, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) -- Climate change is projected to reduce production of key crops across Southeast Asia, with rice, maize and sugarcane facing declines, according to a study released on Thursday by the Singapore Food Agency and the National University of Singapore.
The ASEAN Agri Climate Impact Twenty study projects average rice production to decline by 3 to 5 percent between 2025 and 2044, while maize output could fall by 5 to 6 percent and sugarcane production by 1 to 4 percent.
In contrast, cassava production is projected to increase by 16 percent, while soybean output could rise by 11 to 13 percent.
"More favorable average projections for some crops do not mean that they are free from climate-related risks. Production could still be affected by variability in climate conditions in any particular year including extreme heat, heavy rainfall or drought in an unfavorable year," the report said.
Very strong El Niño events could reduce average crop production across the region by up to about 10 percent, the study found. Rice and rain-fed farming systems are generally more vulnerable to such events.
Overall, Southeast Asia is expected to experience rising temperatures, more frequent and prolonged heat waves, and increasingly variable rainfall, potentially disrupting water availability, planting schedules and crop yields. ■