Rising global temperatures are pushing agriculture toward a breaking point, with a new report warning that farm work could become dangerously unsafe for up to 250 days a year in some regions by the end of the century. The alarming findings, released jointly by the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Meteorological Organization, highlight how extreme heat is rapidly emerging as one of the most serious threats to global food security and rural livelihoods.
The report paints a stark picture of a warming world where over a billion people dependent on agriculture face mounting risks. Already, farm workers are 35 times more likely to die from heat exposure compared to workers in other sectors. Extreme temperatures are also cutting into productivity, with an estimated 470 billion working hours lost globally each year due to heat stress.
At the heart of the crisis is the growing frequency and intensity of “extreme heat” defined as conditions where temperatures exceed thresholds that cause physical harm to crops, livestock and human workers. As global temperatures rise, the margin between safe and dangerous conditions is shrinking, making even shorter or less intense heatwaves increasingly harmful.
Regions such as South Asia, including India, are expected to be among the hardest hit. The fertile Indo-Gangetic Plain spanning key agricultural states has already seen a sharp rise in heat exposure over the past two decades. Under high-emission scenarios, the report warns that work capacity during crucial growing seasons in this region could fall below 40 per cent by the end of the century, severely impacting food production.
The human toll is particularly severe for vulnerable groups. Women agricultural workers face additional health risks due to lack of sanitation facilities in fields, often forcing them to reduce water intake and work longer hours in extreme heat. This has been linked to rising cases of chronic kidney disease.
Beyond labour, the impact on crops is equally concerning. Scientific analysis shows that for major staples like maize, wheat, soybean and rice, yields begin to decline sharply once temperatures cross 30°C to 35°C. For every 1°C rise in temperature, yields can drop significantly by as much as 7.5 per cent for maize and around 6 per cent for wheat.
The report also flags the increasing occurrence of “flash droughts,” where rapid spikes in temperature dry out soil and crops with little warning. Over the past six decades, such events have replaced traditional drought patterns in a majority of vulnerable regions. When combined with heatwaves, crop losses can surge dramatically, reaching nearly 25 per cent in affected areas.
The crisis extends beyond crops. Livestock face heat stress at temperatures above 25°C, while marine ecosystems are under strain from widespread ocean heatwaves. In 2025 alone, more than 90 per cent of the global ocean experienced at least one marine heatwave, disrupting fisheries and causing significant economic losses. Forests, too, are nearing their physiological limits, with rising temperatures increasing water stress and weakening their ability to act as climate buffers.
Perhaps most concerning is the report’s finding that global agriculture has shown little evidence of adapting to extreme heat over the past 50 years. Heat stress has already reduced agricultural productivity by an estimated 21 per cent since 1961, effectively erasing years of progress.
This has created a dangerous feedback loop: as productivity declines, more land is brought under cultivation to compensate, leading to higher greenhouse gas emissions and further warming.
Experts say the findings underscore the urgent need for transformative changes in how food systems are managed from improving working conditions and water access for farm labourers to developing heat-resilient crops and better climate adaptation strategies.
As the planet continues to warm, the report sends a clear warning: without immediate action, extreme heat could fundamentally reshape agriculture, making it not just less productive, but increasingly unsafe for the millions who depend on it for survival.