Latin America faces serious challenges in banana production due to climate change. Many farmers in Brazil struggle with high temperatures and limited water resources. Rising temperatures threaten to reduce suitable farming areas by 60% by the year 2080. Affected regions are not only hot but also have limitations like poor infrastructure and labor availability.
Farmers are adopting strategies like increased irrigation and exploring drought-resistant banana varieties to cope with these changes. Some hybrid bananas developed require less water and are more resistant to diseases.
Research is ongoing to find effective solutions, including genetic studies on banana plants to improve heat tolerance. However, the situation remains critical for the global banana market, which contributes significantly to the economies of many Latin American countries.
Difficult words
- production — making or growing something in large amounts.
- challenges — difficult situations that need to be solved.
- temperature — how hot or cold something is.temperatures
- infrastructure — the basic systems needed for a country to work.
- strategies — plans to solve problems or achieve goals.
- resistant — able to fight against something harmful.
- economies — the system of money and resources in a place.
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- How does climate change affect farming in other areas?
- What other solutions could farmers consider for future challenges?
- Why is the banana market important for Latin America?
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