Impact of Climate Change on Food Security in Northern Nigeria

Abstract

Climate change is gradually transforming the globe into a difficult zone of survival for all faunas and floras owing to the existential threat that some changes are causing in the environment. The careless and unguarded activities and detrimental practices of man created a chain of reaction of nature in the surrounding environment leading to the collapse of the green zone and global warming which are all tantamount to undesired repercussions. One of the regions heavily affected by the impacts of climate change in Nigeria, specifically Northern Nigeria. The Northern part of Nigeria is known for many centuries as an agrarian region that is producing sufficient food which sustained the region and supplies Lake Chad and other West African states with food. However, this productive trend was radically reversed owing to many factors with climate change as the prime. This study examines analytically how climate change influences or affects food production and food security in Northern Nigeria. The study used documented sources including books, journal articles, reports, media sources, maps, and charts where applicable for data collection while thematic analytical interpretations were used for data analysis. The study explored the roots of the problem uniquely in the Northern Nigerian context, which is the impact of climate change, and it reveals that the worsening food security crisis in Northern Nigeria affects socioeconomic and political systems in the country resulting in violence, insurgency, forced migration, ethnic and religious clashes, famine, diseases, and malnourishment. The study used the discoveries and findings from the investigation to proffer alternative remedies, models, and practical policy suggestions for addressing the phenomenon permanently.