Climate Change Adaptation: Implications for Food Security and Nutrition

Abstract

It is apparent that climate change affects every facet of life as no living organism lives outside of the universal environment (air, water, land), and all of these are affected by one or more climate or weather conditions. Climate affects agriculture and vice versa as they are deeply interconnected. The effect of climate change on agriculture goes a long way to increase or decrease food security and invariably food nutrition through its impacts on agricultural lands. This is because the more food insecurity there is, the more issues of undernutrition are observed. This chapter studies the different ways climate and climate change affect crop production through the different sections of agriculture in terms of plant diseases and biocontrol, food production, livestock rearing, fish production, forestry, and microbial diversity. It goes further to look at the different ways nations and communities are adapting to climate change to mitigate the challenges of food insecurity and nutrition. Finally, some of the solutions that can be pilot tested at the community level, which can later be cascaded to national and regional levels, are also emphasized. Other recommendations that can become a research focus to forestall this threat are also highlighted and would be important in policy development.