Until recently, most assessments of the impact of climate change on the food and agriculture sector have focused on the implications for production and global supply of food, with less consideration of other components of the food chain. This activity takes a broader view and explores the multiple effects that global warming and climate change could have on food systems and food security.
Recent climate change is already having impacts – from melting Arctic sea ice and glaciers, to the lack of rainfall, and the impacts of sea level rise on coasts worldwide.
Earthquakes, floods, droughts and other natural disasters represent various threats and challenges for small producers and the poor, since they often lack the resources to respond to crises or to protect themselves.
Climate change is causing more and more frequent and extreme natural disasters in many parts of the world.
Several studies underline the negative effects that climate change has on food crops: crops are destroyed or ruined and the world food system has to manage and cope with a shortage of resources. Climate change and its effects on the food system are a serious problem for many farmers and poorer communities, as they cannot predict the signals of changing weather and, in many cases, the growing season is shortened and interrupted. This is likely to lead to more people suffering from acute or chronic hunger.
OVERVIEW
How climate change causes food shortage!
Climate change will affect all four dimensions of food security: food availability, food accessibility, food utilization and food systems stability. It will have an impact on human health, livelihood assets, food production and distribution channels, as well as changing purchasing power and market flows. Its impacts will be both short term, resulting from more frequent and more intense extreme weather events, and long term, caused by changing temperatures and precipitation patterns.
People who are already vulnerable and food insecure are likely to be the first affected.
Agriculture-based livelihood systems that are already vulnerable to food insecurity face immediate risk of increased crop failure, new patterns of pests and diseases, lack of appropriate seeds and planting material, and loss of livestock. People living on the coasts and floodplains and in mountains, dry-lands and the Arctic are most at risk.
As an indirect effect, low-income people everywhere, but particularly in urban areas, will be at risk of food insecurity owing to loss of assets and lack of adequate insurance coverage.
This may also lead to shifting vulnerabilities in both developing and developed countries.
Food systems will also be affected through possible internal and international migration, resource- based conflicts and civil unrest triggered by climate change and its impacts.
Agriculture, forestry and fisheries will not only be affected by climate change, but also contribute to it through emitting greenhouse gases. They also hold part of the remedy, however; they can contribute to climate change.
Learn more by reading the FULL SCIENTIFIC BACKGROUND
Use the INFO-GRAPHIC to present the topic to your class
Select one of the following Class activities:
- Food chain Tag
- Food Magic
- Food Nutrition