Latin America braces for potentially record-breaking El Niño and its food-export fallout
Scientists warn that a super El Niño could hit Latin America, altering rainfall patterns and threatening the region’s role as the world’s top food exporter.
Latin America is on alert for a super El Niño that could surpass the 2015-16 event in intensity, reshaping weather across the continent. Southern regions such as Argentina’s Pampas, Paraguay, Uruguay and southern Brazil are likely to see above-average rainfall, potentially enhancing soy, corn and wheat harvests but also fostering fungal diseases and flooding of vulnerable rural routes. In contrast, northern Brazil and parts of the Andes may endure drought, threatening the Amazon’s river network, crop production and livestock, and prompting the Panama Canal Authority to restrict ship drafts to conserve water.
The phenomenon is already depressing Peru’s fish catches by 31% and may boost demand for Argentine natural gas in drier Brazilian zones while swelling hydroelectric reservoirs in the south. Authorities in Paraguay have placed troops on standby, and engineering crews are mobilised to address flood risks to ports and transport corridors.
Why it matters
El Niño could disrupt food supplies, energy markets and trade routes that many countries depend on.
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