Climate change presents several opportunities and risks for Canada’s agricultural sector. The success of agriculture from year to year is also reliant on several non-climatic factors, such as global economic markets, supply chains, and institutional support. Farmers make decisions based on several factors and being aware of changing trends can promote a risk-aware agricultural sector.
Credits Research and writing: Taylor Livingston, Author; Collaborators: Tim Lynam, Timothy Webster, Kyla Milne, Elaine Barrow, Anne Blondlot, Steven Sobie, Christiane Allen
Canada’s agricultural sector will be affected by a changing climate in numerous ways. Changes in the growing season, extreme events, and warmer temperatures will affect which crops can be grown where. The AgriRisk project of Nova Scotia incorporated climate projection data into a suite of mapping and decision support tools to support a risk-aware grape and wine industry.
Warmer conditions and more frequent extreme events will affect land suitability and will change growing conditions from those experienced in the past3. Opportunities include a longer growing season, milder winters, and the ability to introduce new crops4. Risks include the introduction of, or greater persistence of, pests and diseases and more frequent extreme weather events5,6. While climatic factors play a major role in the suitability of land for agriculture, other factors, such as soil type and topography, are also important5,6.
