The shorter growing seasons expected with climate change over the next 40 years will endanger hundreds of millions of already poor people in the global tropics, say researchers working 62 the world's leading agricultural organisations.
　　The effects of climate change are likely to be seen across the entire tropical 63 but many areas previously considered to be 64 food secure are likely to become highly 65 to droughts, extreme weather and higher temperatures, say the 66 with the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research.
　　Intensively farmed areas 67 northeast Brazil and Mexico are likely to see their 68 growing seasons fall below 120 days, which is 69 for crops such as corn to mature. Many other places in Latin America are likely to 70 temperatures that are too hot for bean 71 , a staple in the region.
　　The impact could be 72 most in India and southeast Asia. More than 300 million people in south Asia are likely to be affected even with a 5% decrease in the 73 of the growing season.
　　Higher peak temperatures are also expected to take a heavy 74 on food producers. Today there are 56 million crop-dependent people in parts of west Africa and India who live in areas where, in 40 years, maximum daily temperatures could be higher than 30C. This is 75 to the maximum temperature that beans can tolerate, 76 corn and rice yields suffer when temperatures 77 this level.
　　"We are starting to see much more clearly 78 the effects of climate change on agriculture could 79 hunger and poverty," said research leader Patti Kristjanson. "Farmers already adapt 80 variable weather by changing their planting schedules. What this study suggests is that the speed of climate 81 and the magnitude of the changes required to adapt could be much greater. "