Unpredictable rains and increasing heat are making life more difficult for the people of Rayanpet, a village in southern India.
印度南部村庄雷安佩特的人们的生活因为不可预测的降雨和日益上升的高温而变得更加困难。
The conditions are also damaging the rice crops grown there.
这些情况也损害了那里种植的水稻作物。
P. Ravinder Reddy, a former soldier, started farming on his family's land 16 years ago.
16年前,退役军人P.Ravinder Reddy开始在自家的土地上耕种。
He said, "We used to know when it would rain and for how long.”
他说:“以前我们能知道什么时候下雨,会下多久。”
That meant they used to know when to plant.
这意味着他们能知道什么时候开始播种。
Now, he said, it is not so predictable. Sometimes there is too much rain. Sometimes there is no rain at all.
现在,他说,降雨变幻莫测了。有时降雨过多。有时根本不下雨。
Agricultural research organizations in India have been working for years to engineer rice seeds that can survive in a changing climate.
印度的农业研究机构多年来一直致力于培育能够在气候变化中生存的水稻种子。
Reddy has been experimenting with new kinds of rice for the past five years.
过去五年里,Reddy一直在试验新品种的大米。
The new rice plants are producing more grain with less water. They are also more disease resistant.
新的水稻植株可以用更少的水产出更多的粮食。它们的抗病能力也更强。
Reddy says he has planted them across part of his 10-hectare field.
Reddy说,他已经在他10公顷的田地里种植了这种水稻。
He still grows some of the older kinds because there is a demand for them.
他还会种一些较老的品种,因为这些需求量很大。
But he said, “I think in a few years, we will use only these tougher seeds."
但他说:“我认为,几年后,我们应该只会用这些更顽强的种子。”
India is one of the world's largest producers and consumers of wheat and rice.
印度是世界上最大的小麦和大米生产国以及消费国之一。
Research organizations in that country and around the world have worked for years to produce seeds that are better able to handle drought, unseasonal rains, plant diseases and more.
该国和世界各地的研究机构多年来一直在努力生产能够更好地应对干旱、反常降雨、植物病害等的种子。
Earlier this year, a United Nations report said more than 700 million people suffered from hunger last year.
今年早些时候,联合国的一份报告称,去年有超过7亿人遭受饥饿。
More than one-third of the worldwide population does not have the money to buy healthy foods.
全球超过三分之一的人口没有钱购买健康食品。
India has nearly 120 million farmers. Most have less than two hectares of land.
印度有近1.2亿农民。大多数人拥有的土地不到两公顷。
Unpredictable rainfall, rising temperatures and increased pest problems all threaten their ability to grow food.
不可预测的降雨量、不断上升的气温和日益严重的虫害问题都威胁着它们种植粮食的能力。
Experts say the dangers to rice include increasing salt content in groundwater, heavy rainfall over short periods, long periods of drought and increasing nighttime temperatures.
专家说,水稻面临的危险包括地下水含盐量增加,短期暴雨,长期干旱和夜间气温上升。
Some farmers are turning to methods of natural farming to deal with climate change.
一些农民正在采用自然耕作的方法来应对气候变化。
But that can mean reduced yields.
但这可能意味着收成下降。
India's federal government is also urging the use of climate-resilient seeds that result in better yields.
印度联邦政府也在敦促使用气候适应性强的种子,以获得更高的产量。
Ashok Kumar Singh is former director of New Delhi-based Indian Agriculture Research Institute.
阿肖克·库马尔·辛格是新德里印度农业研究所的前所长。
He has overseen the creation of many successful rice varieties that withstand pests and plant diseases.
在他的监督下,成功创造了很多水稻品种,这些品种可以抵御病虫害。
His organization has helped release more than 2,000 climate-resilient kinds of seed in the last 10 years.
在过去10年里,他的组织已经帮助发行了2000多种适应气候变化的种子。
"We really need these seeds to deal with these multiple issues created by global warming," Singh said.
“我们真的需要这些种子来应对全球变暖带来的多重问题,”辛格说。
Earlier this year, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi released 109 climate-resilient seeds for several different crops.
今年早些时候,印度总理纳伦德拉·莫迪(Narendra Modi)为几种不同的作物发行了109种更能适应气候的种子。
India's federal government has announced plans to make sure at least 25 percent of rice-growing fields in the country will be planted with climate-resilient seeds in the coming winter crop season.
印度联邦政府宣布,计划确保在即将到来的冬季作物季节,全国至少有25%的稻田将种植适应气候变化的种子。
In Rayanpet village, Reddy is preparing to plant rice seeds for the winter season in a few weeks.
在雷安佩特村,Reddy正准备在几周后为冬季播种稻种。
"It is good to keep trying new seeds, as after some time all of them will have some issue or the other," Reddy said.
“不断尝试新的种子是件好事,因为过段时间,所有种子都会出现这样那样的问题,”Reddy说。
“If the government can also make sure we get good prices for our crops after harvest, that would help farmers like us a great deal.”
“如果政府还能确保我们的农作物在收获后能卖出好价格,这对像我们这样的农民大有裨益。”
I’m Jill Robbins.
我叫吉尔 · 罗宾斯。