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Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research

Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research

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Climate change impacts in Japan and Southeast Asia: Implications for crop adaptation

Climate change poses a serious threat to developmental aspirations of most countries in Southeast Asia. The historical observations indicated general warming over the entire region with variations in the degree of warming and localized impacts. The Mekong River basin, which is the largest basin in the region that provides livelihoods for millions of farmers, would experience high rainfall intensities during wet season and reduced flows and intrusion of sea water during the dry season. Crop yields are projected to decline in most climate scenarios with inter season variations. Most literature suggested the underlying uncertainties in the existing models and complexities involved in projecting climate change impacts in agriculture sector. There is a need for strengthening weather observation network in the region along with introduction of integrated modeling approaches that brings together global circulation models, regional models, dynamic crop models and socio economic models for identifying effective crop adaptation options in the region.