EFFECTS OF GLOBAL WARMING ON FOOD INSECURITY IN SELECTED WEST AFRICAN COUNTRIES: EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS (2001-2021)

Abstract

There is growing evidence that global warming will have an essential negative impact on agricultural yields, succinctly in developing nations. With the greatest levels of poverty and hunger, the continent most at risk from climate change is Africa, as it is seen has a home to low-income earning families. Therefore, this study reflects how global warming affects West Africa’s food insecurity between 2001 to 2021. Food insecurity is measured using the prevalence of undernourishment, while global warming is measured with temperature changes. Population growth, food price, income, FDI, and arable land are all included in the econometric model as control variables, and panel ARDL pool mean group (PMG) was employed as the appropriate estimation technique to achieve the study’s aim. The PMG regression results show that global warming increases food insecurity in the region during the short and long periods. It is therefore imperative for West African policymakers to show more concern regarding global warming, by establishing initiatives that encourage innovative research or investment in sustainable climate activities and discouragement of activities that contribute to climate warming. Other policy options were further discussed in the study.