Farmers devastated as sudden drop in key crop production threatens livelihoods: 'We need to change our mindset'

Over the last decade, the effects of the changing climate have greatly impacted many agriculture industries throughout the world. This includes India, which has seen one its most popular crops face a dramatic drop in production. 

What's happening?

As reported by DaijiWorld, the areca nut industry in India has seen production plummet by nearly 50% in 2025. This drop has been attributed to a number of reasons, including yellow leaf disease, leaf spot disease, and extreme weather conditions.

DaijiWorld noted that several regions in India have endured widespread outbreaks of leaf spot disease. The bacterial infection affects the leaves of various plants, trees, and shrubs. According to a study, elevated carbon dioxide levels may play a major role in the increase or complexity of bacterial infections such as leaf spot disease.

Additionally, above-average temperatures make for less than ideal growing conditions for areca nut crops that haven't been affected by bacterial infections. This combination of factors has resulted in a grim outlook for not only areca nut production but many of India's other vital crops as well.  

Why is the drop in areca nut production important?

In Indian cities like Mangalore, the strength of the economy is often tied to the performance of its agriculture industry, according to Mangaluru Online. Mangalore is home to an assortment of crops such as coconut, cocoa, and areca nut.

However, as the country faces forecasts of above-average temperatures, many crops could continue to struggle. In fact, meteorologists are currently predicting that the summer could bring more extensive heat waves than normal.

Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, chief of the India Meteorological Department, noted that many regions of India could "From April to June, most parts of north and east India, central India, and the plains of northwest India are expected to experience two to four more heatwave days than normal," Mohapatra said, in a report from the BBC.

According to Mohapatra, this pattern can be attributed to the changing climate: "Human activities, increasing population, industrialisation, and transport mechanisms are leading to increased concentration of carbon monoxide, methane, and chloro-carbons."  

What's being done about climate change in India?

As India continues to face severe impacts of the changing climate, the country has signaled a strong desire to reduce harmful carbon pollution. At the COP26 summit in 2021, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi pledged for India to reduce its pollution to net zero (cutting to as low as possible and taking actions to make up for the rest) by 2070.

While speaking to Bill Gates in 2024, Modi admitted that India needs a shift in what is prioritized.

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"Our current challenge is how we perceive progress," Modi said, per the Times of India. "For example, a country's development is often judged by its steel consumption and energy usage. Based on these criteria, we calculate the country's economy."

He added, "If we continue to rely on these parameters, we will consume more electricity and steel, resulting in increased carbon emissions. This means we need to change our mindset. We need to make lifestyle choices and measure progress in ways that are climate-friendly. Currently, all our measures of progress are detrimental to the climate."

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