In regions such as Africa, where agricultural GDP suffers a 7.5 percent impact from natural disasters despite not recording the highest absolute losses, food security faces persistent challenges resulting from its structural weakness. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), these imbalances highlight the need to identify solutions capable of enhancing the resilience of agri-food systems in the face of recurring threats. The FAO explained that over the past 33 years, global agricultural sector losses resulting from periods such as drought, pests, floods and heat waves amounted to $3.26 trillion (about 2.8 trillion euros), which represents, every year, an average of about $100 billion (about 86 billion euros), a figure equivalent to 4 percent of the global agricultural GDP.
According to information published by the Food and Agriculture Organization, disasters have affected the availability of calories on a planetary scale: each person has 320 fewer calories per day, a decrease that shows the extent of the consequences of these extreme events on basic food production. The United Nations agency stated that Asia is the most affected region, accounting for nearly half of the total economic losses – 47 percent – due to its exposure to frequent extreme weather events and its large area of cultivated land. America came in second place, accounting for 22 percent of global losses in this sector.
“Digital technologies are revolutionizing how we monitor risks, issue early warnings and support farmers’ decision-making,” said FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu, referring to the essential role of innovation in monitoring climate threats and emergency management. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, recent technological developments are key tools in preventing disasters and managing crises once they occur. The organization noted that more than nine million producers have currently obtained agricultural insurance through digital platforms, an advance that provides financial support in the event of crop loss.
FAO also noted that early warning systems, enhanced with digital tools, allowed the evacuation of 90 percent of the population identified as being at high risk before adverse events reached the regions. Furthermore, the increasing use of artificial intelligence, sensors, drones, remote sensing tools and mobile communication services provides access to information on local conditions in real time, facilitating responses adapted to each agricultural context and optimizing resources in emergency situations.
However, the organization emphasized that significant technological inequalities remain in the world: 2.6 billion people, most of them in rural areas facing high exposure to disasters, still lack effective access to these digital tools and communications infrastructure. According to FAO, this gap limits prevention capacities, data interpretation and informed decision-making among the most vulnerable farmers.
The media explained that the Food and Agriculture Organization urged governments and the private sector to accelerate digital transformation in the rural and agro-food sector. The recommendation is to integrate digitalization as part of national agricultural strategies, increase funding for technological infrastructure and create large-scale digital literacy projects. The organization emphasizes that only through technological inclusion and local adaptation to digital advances will it be possible to increase the resilience of agri-food systems in the face of future disasters.
In addition, the media pointed out the importance of addressing the digital divide as part of national and international plans. Investing in advanced analytical tools and developing notification and emergency management systems are all presented as essential components to mitigate the impact of extreme events on agricultural production. FAO stressed that without these efforts, many rural communities will remain highly vulnerable and ill-prepared to face floods, drought and pests, leading to continued instability that affects the global food supply and the quality of life of millions of people.
According to published information, adverse meteorological phenomena not only affect the agricultural economy in the regions, but also lead to direct disruptions in access to food and its daily consumption in areas with scarce resources. For this reason, FAO emphasized the urgent need to combine technological innovation, finance and digital education to reduce risks and increase the stability of global agricultural food production.
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