Climate Change Hurts Mexico's Corn Production
2020-03-09
LRC
TXT
大字
小字
滚动
全页
1Around 9,000 years ago, human beings began growing corn for the first time near Tehuacan, in what is now the central Mexican state of Puebla.
2In the years that followed, corn became an important part of the cultures that gave rise to modern Mexico.
3Now, climate change threatens corn production in the area.
4Sol Ortiz is director of the climate change group at Mexico's agriculture ministry.
5Ortiz says that 75% of Mexico's soil is already too dry for growing crops.
6In areas such as Tehuacan, temperatures may rise more than the average increase worldwide.
7"We know there are areas where the increase is going to be greater.
8That will obviously affect rain patterns, and in turn, agriculture and food security," Ortiz said.
9In Tehuacan, the area under corn cultivation decreased 18% between 2015 and 2019, to about 40,000 hectares, the Reuters news agency reported.
10Nationally, the area under corn cultivation declined 4% from 2015 to 2019.
11Farmers decide to change the crops that they grow for many reasons.
12But in Tehuacan, one important reason is a fast-changing climate, farmers and local officials say.
13On one especially dry field, Profirio Garcia uses ancient farming methods to grow corn, beans and pumpkin.
14"The corn harvest has shrunk because in the months of June, July, August and September there was no rain," Garcia said.
15"Our lives center on corn, so what do we do without it?"
16Eusebio Olmedo, director of rural development, agriculture and livestock in Tehuacan, says it began to get hotter at the turn of the century.
17Last year was the warmest on record in the Mexican state of Puebla, where Tehuacan is located.
18Temperatures reached an average high of 26.8 degrees Celsius.
19In 1985, the first year available for state records, Puebla registered an average high of 24.7 degrees Celsius.
20In Mexico's north, climate change may, at first, have little effect, studies show.
21But in the south, where the oldest corn strains on earth are grown using traditional methods, the changing temperatures and rainfall levels are being felt.
22Mexico, due to its dependence on grain from the United States, is now the world's second-largest corn importer.
23President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador calls that dependency "a contradiction" and has started programs to increase national production.
24Agricultural advisory service GCMA estimates that Mexican corn production will continue to fall in 2020.
25Corn imports, mainly from U.S. growers, will reach a record 18 million tons, the group notes.
26Garcia chose to diversify his crops.
27He planted 300 trees of pistachio, a desert plant that can survive in temperatures between minus 10 and 40 degrees Celsius.
28Nearby farmer Natalio De Santiago stopped growing the corn that he, his father and his grandfather used to plant.
29He now grows crops that require less water.
30"I stopped sowing (corn) because the weather is changing," said De Santiago.
31"Now I plant maguey because it needs less water."
32Maguey is used to make alcoholic drinks.
33De Santiago said he provides a liter of water every month to each of his 400 maguey plants.
34When he planted corn, he said, his crops needed four months of rain.
35In an attempt to stop the decline in corn planting, local officials developed a bank of native corn seeds.
36The seeds are more resistant to insects and other pests.
37They also need less water.
38"We have to adapt to climate change, and these are the best varieties to recover food self-sufficiency," Olmedo said of the seeds.
39The government has also promoted alternative crops and launched campaigns to reduce agricultural burning, among other measures.
40"It is very difficult to end the tendency to increase production of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere," said the agricultural ministry's Ortiz.
41Studies have shown a link between rising carbon dioxide levels and rising temperatures on the planet.
42"Climate change is here to stay," Ortiz added.
43I'm Ashley Thompson.
44And I'm John Russell.
1Around 9,000 years ago, human beings began growing corn for the first time near Tehuacan, in what is now the central Mexican state of Puebla. 2In the years that followed, corn became an important part of the cultures that gave rise to modern Mexico. 3Now, climate change threatens corn production in the area. 4Sol Ortiz is director of the climate change group at Mexico's agriculture ministry. Ortiz says that 75% of Mexico's soil is already too dry for growing crops. In areas such as Tehuacan, temperatures may rise more than the average increase worldwide. 5"We know there are areas where the increase is going to be greater. That will obviously affect rain patterns, and in turn, agriculture and food security," Ortiz said. 6In Tehuacan, the area under corn cultivation decreased 18% between 2015 and 2019, to about 40,000 hectares, the Reuters news agency reported. 7Nationally, the area under corn cultivation declined 4% from 2015 to 2019. 8Farmers decide to change the crops that they grow for many reasons. But in Tehuacan, one important reason is a fast-changing climate, farmers and local officials say. 9On one especially dry field, Profirio Garcia uses ancient farming methods to grow corn, beans and pumpkin. 10"The corn harvest has shrunk because in the months of June, July, August and September there was no rain," Garcia said. "Our lives center on corn, so what do we do without it?" 11Eusebio Olmedo, director of rural development, agriculture and livestock in Tehuacan, says it began to get hotter at the turn of the century. 12Last year was the warmest on record in the Mexican state of Puebla, where Tehuacan is located. Temperatures reached an average high of 26.8 degrees Celsius. In 1985, the first year available for state records, Puebla registered an average high of 24.7 degrees Celsius. 13In Mexico's north, climate change may, at first, have little effect, studies show. 14But in the south, where the oldest corn strains on earth are grown using traditional methods, the changing temperatures and rainfall levels are being felt. 15Mexico, due to its dependence on grain from the United States, is now the world's second-largest corn importer. President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador calls that dependency "a contradiction" and has started programs to increase national production. 16Agricultural advisory service GCMA estimates that Mexican corn production will continue to fall in 2020. Corn imports, mainly from U.S. growers, will reach a record 18 million tons, the group notes. 17Garcia chose to diversify his crops. He planted 300 trees of pistachio, a desert plant that can survive in temperatures between minus 10 and 40 degrees Celsius. 18Nearby farmer Natalio De Santiago stopped growing the corn that he, his father and his grandfather used to plant. He now grows crops that require less water. 19"I stopped sowing (corn) because the weather is changing," said De Santiago. "Now I plant maguey because it needs less water." 20Maguey is used to make alcoholic drinks. 21De Santiago said he provides a liter of water every month to each of his 400 maguey plants. When he planted corn, he said, his crops needed four months of rain. 22In an attempt to stop the decline in corn planting, local officials developed a bank of native corn seeds. The seeds are more resistant to insects and other pests. They also need less water. 23"We have to adapt to climate change, and these are the best varieties to recover food self-sufficiency," Olmedo said of the seeds. 24The government has also promoted alternative crops and launched campaigns to reduce agricultural burning, among other measures. 25"It is very difficult to end the tendency to increase production of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere," said the agricultural ministry's Ortiz. 26Studies have shown a link between rising carbon dioxide levels and rising temperatures on the planet. 27"Climate change is here to stay," Ortiz added. 28I'm Ashley Thompson. 29And I'm John Russell. 30Diego Oré reported on this story for Reuters. John Russell adapted the story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. 31________________________________________________________________ 32Words in This Story 33cultivate - v. to prepare and use for crops 34pumpkin - n. a large, round, orange vegetable 35livestock - n. farm animals 36locate - v. to discover or show the exact position or place of something 37contradiction - n. a difference or disagreement between two things which means that both cannot be true; the act of saying something that is opposite or very different in meaning to something else 38diversify - v. to make or become different; to increase number of products or field of operation 39self-sufficiency - n. the state or quality of being about to provide everything you need without the help of others 40alternative - adj. offering or expressing a choice 41tendency - n. a form of behavior that is developing and becoming more common 42We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section