Climate change impacts on crop productivity in Africa and South Asia - a new perspective

Climate change is a serious threat to crop productivity in regions that are already food insecure. A recent study by Jerry Knox and colleagues from the Cranfield Water Science Institute published in Environmental Research Letters today (http://iopscience.iop.org/1748-9326/7/3/034032) assesses the projected impacts of climate change on the yield of eight major crops grown in Africa and South Asia, using a systematic review and meta-analysis of data in 52 original publications from an initial screen of 1144 studies. The findings have major relevance and significance to international development organisations and programmes concerned with agriculture, crop production and food security under a changing climate.