How does climate change impact food security?

“The number of people suffering acute food insecurity increased from 135 million in 2019 to 345 million in 82 countries by June 2022, as the war in Ukraine, supply chain disruptions, and the continued economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic pushed food prices to all-time highs.” – The World Bank

We often hear the words food insecurity from the media, the people around us, the world, but what does this phrase actually mean? According to the United Nations, “Food insecurity is a lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life” (1). This essentially means that a person is food insecure when cannot acquire enough safe and nutritious food for optimal growth and development. 

Food insecurity has long been an issue needed to be resolved and mercifully it was one of the key round table topics at COP27 (2). To those who are wondering, COP27 is a Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Representatives from eleven countries gathered to discuss world altering problems and ways to go about reducing these issues. 

There are many factors contributing to global food insecurity today. First is the growing world population. Global demand for food continues to increase as the human population is expected to reach 9.6 bn by 2050 (3). All the while, “820 m people are suffering from hunger as of 2021” (4).

43 million people from 38 countries are at risk of famine and starvation (5). Over 3 billion individuals are not able to afford a nutritious and healthy diet, and as a result, 45% of all deaths among children under five are linked to malnutrition (6). As someone who can afford proper nutrition, the 73 million children in extreme poverty who go to school hungry and undernourished everyday makes me quiver.

“More than half of all undernourished people (418 million) live in Asia; more than a third (282 million) in Africa; and a smaller proportion (60 million) in Latin America and the Caribbean. But the sharpest rise in hunger was in Africa, where the estimated prevalence of undernourishment – at 21 percent of the population – is more than double that of any other region.” —2021 UN Report

Hunger crisis is a major problem for impoverished families and children and it is our job to take action. 

As can be seen in these infographics →  

• 43 million people in 38 countries are at risk of falling into famine. 

• 3.1 billion people can't afford a healthy, nutritious diet.

• 45% of all deaths among children are linked to undernutrition. (7)

In 2023, the three main causes of world hunger are international conflicts, climate change, and Covid-19. International conflicts, such as the ongoing one between Ukraine & Russia, are “the biggest single cause of hunger in the world today,” according to Action Against Hunger. The main reason behind this is because over 90 percent of wheat supply to Armenia, Azerbaijan, Eritrea, Georgia, Mongolia, and Somalia are provided by Russia & Ukraine. The armed conflict disrupts the agricultural supply chain, resulting in famine. 

When the Covid-19 pandemic hit at the end of 2019, the virus “made the world’s poorest people poorer,” and “sent shockwaves through economies, so millions cannot afford decent food to eat.” In 2020, the growth of hunger in the world outpaced population growth. Undernourishment had grown by 9.9 percent in the year of 2020 alone (USGL.org).

Next, and most importantly, Climate Change. Over the past decade, climate change has been an issue recognized by many, and sustainable changes have been made accordingly in some countries, households, and individuals. Regarding food security, “About a third of all human-caused greenhouse gas emissions are linked to food” (8).

In the last few years with global agricultural supply chain shocks of Covid-19, and the continued regional conflicts, “Global undernourishment may have reached a 15-year high in 2020” (9). Moreover, due to a war of aggression and intentional attacks on agriculture infrastructure, all aspects of Ukraine’s agriculture—fields, farm equipment, warehouses, markets, roads, bridges, and ports—are being damaged by the Russians, increasing the price for goods such as wheat, causing many families to further be unable to afford basic food sources for their survival.

More on the effects of climate change, the drought in Kenya has killed up to 2.5 million livestock, leaving 2.4 million citizens hungry, and thousands of children severely malnourished. Nearly 80 percent of the maize harvest and coffee plantations in Guatemala have been devastated due to severe drought. (10)

Climate Change has resulted in the loss of rural livelihoods, loss of marine and coastal ecosystems, as well as the loss of terrestrial and inland water ecosystems and livelihoods. All of these negative impacts enhance food insecurity and the breakdown of food systems, causing an ever increasing cycle of starvation and famine around the globe.

Food insecurity is real and affects many individuals' wellness and livelihoods. Urgent solutions are called for and governments must make amends to stop regional conflicts, subsidize those who struggle to purchase edible food, and increase funding to combat climate change. These issues are not going away unaided but world hunger is only aggravating.