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Fifty million people in India rely on growing sugar for their living. That’s more people than live in Spain. Their lives rarely make global news.
In August, Climate Home sent reporters to two sugar-growing states. In the first of a four-part series published today, they report that climate change is making the lives of sugar farmers much, much harder.
To grow sugar, you need steady weather. But the state of Maharashtra endured a heatwave followed by downpours – neither of which are good for growing sugar. So farmers are struggling to make ends meet.
Like farmers around the world, climate change is making them think about moving. But they are loathe to leave their community and their way of life for the city.
Why not grow something else, which isn’t so vulnerable to the changing weather’s whims? Because the government gurantees to buy sugar at a certain price. It does not do so for other crops like cotton and soy beans.
This week’s stories
- India’s sugarcane farmers struggle to cope with droughts and floods
- After developing country walkout, ministers arrive to rescue nature talks