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Nutrition and food security in a changing climate

Extreme weather, rising temperatures, and unpredictable rainfall are making it harder to grow food, jeopardizing the food security of millions of people all around the world.

We often think about how rising temperatures will affect our health or our travel, but what about our food security? Climate change is a huge cause of hunger and malnutrition around the world, and the warming climate and related biodiversity loss will cause famine and food insecurity globally.

 

 

Here are some of the ways in which climate change can impact food security and nutrition:

 

 

Changes in crop yields: Increased frequency and severity of extreme weather events such as droughts, wildfires, floods and storms, can destroy crops, deteriorate soil, and make it exceptionally difficult to for crops to grow. Higher temperatures will have an impact on yields while changes in rainfall could affect both crop quality and quantity. These changes can result in decreased food production, reducing food availability and accessibility, and increasing food prices.

 

 

Increasing food prices: The more sparse a food is, the more expensive it will become. This is why grocery bills are soaring in several countries across the world. In addition, supply chain disruptions as a result of natural disasters can mean more food shortages, making groceries even more expensive. 

 

 

Water scarcity: Rising temperatures contribute to excessive evaporation, melting glaciers and altering river flows, resulting in reduced water availability, which is essential for effective farming. 

 

 

Food quality: Climate change can also affect the quality of food as changes in temperature and precipitation can alter the composition and nutritional value of crops. This can result in decreased food quality, reducing the nutritional value of diets, and increasing the risk of micro-nutrient deficiencies.

 

 

Access to food: Climate change can also impact access to food as changes in temperature and rainfall patterns can affect the ability of individuals and communities to grow and harvest crops, and transport and distribute food.

 

 

Livestock production: Climate change can also affect livestock production as extreme heat can affect feed availability and quality, and increase the risk of diseases and parasites in livestock. This can result in reduced livestock production, reducing the availability of meat and dairy products. In addition, rising ocean acidity can impact fish populations and marine ecosystems.

 

 

By 2050, the risk of hunger and malnutrition could rise by 20 per cent if we fail to reduce and prevent the adverse effects of extreme weather, according to the World Food Programme. There are lots of ways we can work to ensure food security in the midst of climate change:

 

 

Reducing food waste

 

As 1.3 billion tonnes of food are wasted every year, reducing your food waste is one of the most effective steps you can take to help fight climate change. You can do this by:

 

  • Not buying too many groceries – Plan your meals and make a shopping list
  • Making recipes with overlapping ingredients
  • Use your leftovers before cooking something else

 

Improving Infrastructure


Working to improve our existing infrastructure could help prevent major crop losses, and help to boost more efficient agricultural practices. This can include:

 

  • Hiring people or using machinery to protect crops against weeds
  • Employing natural ways of avoiding pesticides 
  • Ensuring proper food storage systems are intact 

 

Diversifying crops


Diversify crops and build resilient local food systems, as focusing on a single crop could make the farming region more vulnerable to pests, and diseases, causing famine.