Farmers devastated after relentless rainfall wipes out crops: 'It's a real disaster'

Constant, heavy rainfall in Spain is wreaking havoc on the nation's crops, showing the toll climate change can take on agriculture across the globe.

What's happening?

Over the first 18 days of March, Spain received more than twice its usual rainfall for that period.

That rainfall has caused problems in many parts of the country, such as the Southern Coastal city of Almeria. As Hortidaily reported, the heavy precipitation has already caused damage to crops citywide, including broccoli, cucumbers, peppers, and melons.

This news is particularly unwelcome given Almeria's importance to Spanish agriculture. The city's greenhouses grow roughly 3 million tons of produce each year

"Pollination is practically impossible under the current weather conditions," said Andrés Góngora of the Coordinator of Agricultural and Livestock Organizations of Almeria. "It's a real disaster."

Why is heavy rainfall important?

This heavy rainfall is just the latest example of extreme weather to hit Spain.

Throughout 2023 and 2024, much of the country was under drought conditions. In October, however, heavy rainfall caused flooding throughout much of the country, and that has continued this spring.

Such extreme weather is becoming more common, thanks to climate change. Experts have referred to climate change as "steroids for weather" because it amps up the severity of events. Droughts, floods, bitter cold, extreme heat — all of these are becoming more common.

And this unsteady, unpredictable weather makes it considerably tougher to grow and manage crops. In the U.S. and around the world, farmers are dealing with damaged crops and smaller yields because of warmer temperatures and precipitation extremes. This smaller supply then causes prices to increase.

What can I do to help?

Scientists and farmers are working together on engineering crops that are more suited to withstand changing weather patterns. But ultimately, the only way to stop these extreme weather events from becoming even more common is to make smart choices that help reverse the effects of climate change.

Do you worry about how much food you throw away? Definitely Sometimes Not really Never Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

The first step is to explore and educate yourself on key climate issues. From there, you can make changes in your daily life that will make for a greener planet.

If water issues are especially important to you, consider capturing rainwater to use in your yard instead of turning on the faucet. Replace single-use plastic water bottles with a reusable one. Use the dishwasher instead of handwashing your dirty plates. All of these seem like small choices, but they can make a big difference.

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