Today is Friday, September 29, 2023.
These are the two largest countries in the World and respond together for over 17% of Earth's area.
Considering global warming and the fact that both countries are located closer to the North Pole, what would then be happening with their territories that usually are (were?) frozen most of the year?
Obviously we do not refer to the effects of extreme situations related to water and temperature, in spite of the growing frequency, but to eventual shift in terms of arable land, for example.
Vulnerabilities are there for all countries, including Canada and Russia. And crops are particularly vulnerable to heat stress during the flowering period and high temperatures can lead to reduced milk and egg production.
Let's see some references then from the arable land perspective.
Canada
"Agriculture and agri-food is one of the sectors with the highest economic growth potential", according to the Government of Canada, in a July 2023 update.
Abundant land and water resources. Access to international markets. Strong research and development capacity. Strong global reputation as a trusted supplier of safe, top-quality food. Strong stewards of the land. These are the advantages mentioned.
Canada is already the fifth-largest exporter of agri-food and seafood in the world, behind the EU-27 block of countries, U.S., Brazil, and China, and exported to nearly 200 countries in 2022.
Russian Federation
"Russia’s agricultural market has immense potential, with 220 million hectares (544 million acres) and the potential to feed two billion people, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)."
This is quote from the website of the International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, published last March 2023.
Another portal - Centre for Climate Adaptation - updated last September 16, 2023, adds "At the moment, the global warming impact on Russian agriculture is currently assessed as favourable. It has already considerably reduced the number of winter days with low air temperatures threatening winter crops. In many regions the vegetation period has increased by 5 – 10 days ... For instance, in Stavropol territory ... the rated grain crop capacity has increased by 30%".
In 2019, Russia was the world’s largest producer of barley; the largest exporter of wheat; the second-largest producer of sunflower seeds; the third-largest producer of potatoes and milk; and the sixth-largest producer of eggs and chicken meat.
Last but not least, click at the image below for FAO's 2023 "The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World".
