FOOD SECURITY STRATEGY DRAFT
2.3 CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS Climate change impacts on agriculture and food systems need to be incorporated into and considered in prioritizing and developing initiatives to address food insecurity. The summer of 2021 has been a stark preview of what summers could increasingly look like in terms of temperature and precipitation patterns in the region. The heat dome of late June caused damage to crops in the area while the ensuing drought conditions put further stress on farmers.47 The City of Penticton had concerns over the 2021 growing season that the irrigation system would not be able to supply adequate water to farmers48 while the Okanagan was moved to drought level 4. 49 According to Climate Atlas Canada, the number of heat waves in Penticton is anticipated to increase by 2050, as are the maximum temperatures and the number of days over 30 degrees Celsius.
According to the Climate Projections for the Okanagan Region report, precipitation across the region is expected to generally reduce over the summer months, with more “Farmers say heat wave, drought show vulnerable agricultural sector needs support”. Penticton Western News. https://www.pentictonwesternnews.com/news/farmers-say-heat-wave-drought-showvulnerable-agricultural-sector-needs-support/ 48 City of Penticton 49 Okanagan Basin Water Board, “Okanagan Drought Bulletin #2021-2”, August 2021. OBWB_Drought_Info_Bulletin_12Aug2021.pdf 47
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