Chijioke Iremeka Climate change, environmental and agricultural experts warn represents the most dangerous and greatest threat to combating hunger and malnutrition in Nigeria. They noted that without urgently adopting appropriate agricultural measures, food availability will be jeopardised. They said climate change affects the elements of food production and security by influencing access, availability, utilisation, and stability, warning that it will disrupt the livelihoods and incomes of small-scale food producers.
The experts pointed out that increased food prices and volatility will also affect the livelihoods of poor net food buyers, limiting their access to food. According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, the impacts of climate change on nutrition have been much less studied. The FAO noted that studies point to potential changes in the nutritional quality of some foods, especially reduced concentrations of proteins and some vitamins and minerals, due to elevated CO2, particularly for flour from major cereals and cassava.
The UN agency noted that global warming can have a variety of impacts on the quality of drinking water, which is key to the good absorption of nutrients. “Climate change has an impact on food safety, particularly on the incidence and prevalence of food-borne diseases. Increased climate variability, increased frequency and intensity of extreme events as well as slow ongoing changes will affect the stability of food supply.
