Agriculture: Weather dilemma for African maize

Abstract

This article describes a study that evaluates the effect of climate change and temperature increases on maize. Using historical data from more than 20,000 field trials of maize conducted in Africa, these researchers analyzed how crop yields will respond to temperature and rainfall changes. These changes in climate can have huge implications for crop yields because of the sensitivity of crops under drought and other extreme weather conditions. This article suggests that it is important to understand the effect of these changes in order to address food insecurity and take proper actions, such as reducing human impacts on the environment or developing more drought-resistant crop varieties.