7 ways to bolster food security in the face of climate change

Access to stable, sufficient, secure and nutrient-rich food for all people at all times is at risk — and climate change is making it worse. Rising temperatures, water stress and changes in feed quality are threatening food security all over the world.

Since 2022, global food insecurity has surged, impacting 345 million people across 82 countries, a stark increase from 135 million in 2019.

Rising temperatures, water stress and changes in feed quality are just some of the ways that climate change harms food security. Extreme weather events severely damage agricultural landscapes, and sea-level rise negatively affects coastal populations and fisheries, affecting livelihoods and food sources.

Indigenous groups, vulnerable populations and regions, including small island nations, arid and semi-arid areas and coastal settlements all face heightened risks. Poverty, inadequate infrastructure and poor governance exacerbate this further.

From floods in Libya and Pakistan to droughts in South Africa and wildfires in Hawaii, climate change is unmistakably harming food security. To truly mitigate this, we need to lower global carbon emissions and institute restorative practices.

Mitigating and adapting to climate change's impact on food security requires implementing climate-smart agriculture practices, addressing food loss and waste throughout the supply chain, encouraging sustainable consumption habits and developing climate information systems.

Here are seven areas that policymakers and other climate or agriculture professionals can focus on to mitigate and adapt to climate change and improve food security.

Implementing conservation agriculture and agroforestry increases resistance to climate change by fostering soil health, water retention and biodiversity. Water utilization is optimized by utilizing cutting-edge technology like remote sensing and precision watering. Diversifying crops and animals increases the total system's resistance to climatic change and market volatility.

In Pakistan, a notable sustainable practice is alternate wet and drying for rice cultivation, where soil saturation is monitored to reduce constant paddy submergence. Water levels alternate between surface flooding and 15cm above soil, bolstering water efficiency. A prime instance of sustainable agriculture is the satellite-based irrigation advisory system in Italy, Austria and Australia. This tech-driven approach, utilizing high-res satellite imagery, delivers personalized irrigation advice through real-time canopy analysis, heightening water management and efficiency for farmers. User-informed data integration highlights its pivotal role in optimizing land-water utilization and fostering sustainability.

Financial services, such as credit and insurance, aid farmers in managing climate-related risks. Research on and investing in climate-resistant crop types, breeding programs and agroecological methods all help ensure resilient food production.

Mali's Climate-Smart Agriculture Investment Plan (CSAIP) combines stakeholder collaboration with scientific input, aligning with national policies and priorities. It identifies 12 science-based priority areas for investment, integrating climate-resilient strategies and actionable solutions. Leveraging $300-500 million, the CSAIP targets both resilience and growth, benefiting 1.8 million people while advancing multiple SDGs, including poverty reduction, hunger eradication and climate resilience.

Building warehouses, silos and cold storage facilities, in addition to efficient transportation and logistics systems, will lower post-harvest losses, guarantee food availability, eliminate food waste, satisfy demand and solve food insecurity. Hermetic storage, utilizing sealed waterproof bags or structures to create a modified atmosphere with high carbon dioxide levels, has also proven effective, resulting in up to a 98% reduction in storage losses while preserving seed viability and quality over extended periods. In developing countries, chemicals like methyl bromide and phosphine are commonly used for pest control. Additionally, traditional practices, like the use of wormseed leaves and oil extracts to protect cereal grains from insect damage during storage could be considered. Proper handling practices during loading and unloading are essential to minimize losses, and avoiding pre-loading watering of fresh produce is critical to prevent decay and rot.

Efficient feeding, adequate manure management, methane collection systems, sustainable management techniques and the promotion of climate-resilient animal breeds increase livestock productivity and decrease methane emissions, a major greenhouse gas. In climate-resilient livestock production, anaerobic digestion technology captures methane emissions from massive feedlots and dairy cattle operations. This innovation turns methane into a useful energy source for heating, cooking or generating power, which is advantageous economically in warm areas.

Developing early warning systems and enhancing meteorological data gathering enable farmers to react to extreme weather occurrences proactively.

In Kenya, an initiative has successfully harnessed early warning systems by disseminating real-time weather alerts to small-scale farmers via mobile phones, computers and radio. This proactive approach has empowered farmers to adapt to variable and extreme weather conditions, minimizing agricultural losses and enhancing resilience.

Encouraging local sourcing, mindful purchasing and reducing food waste can boost nutrition and environmental sustainability.

In China, the middle class and social elite seek sustainable and nutritious food options. Initiatives like The Little Donkey Farm provide access to safe, traditional and organic foods. These efforts reflect a desire to protect personal and generational health, demonstrating proactive steps toward improving sustainable and nutritious food consumption.

Through cooperation and knowledge sharing, states and enterprises can share insights, create cooperative projects and strengthen capacity building for climate-resilient farming.

The effects of the rapidly changing environment on food production, accessibility and availability are becoming glaringly obvious. The intertwined strands of food security and climate change have created a true urgency. To secure a sustainable future, it is imperative that individuals, governments and organizations to work together, accept responsibility and prioritize sustainable practices and climate-resilient policies.

Immediate actions are required to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, adapt agricultural practices and develop climate-resilient food systems. Failure to act will lead to severe consequences for food production, livelihoods and the well-being of communities worldwide.