INDRAPRASTHA COLLEGE FOR WOMEN

University of Delhi
(31, Sham Nath Marg Delhi-110054)

Course: B.A.(H)History
Semester: V (3rd Year)
Paper: GEC- Climate Change and Adaptation
Faculty: Dr. Neetu Malik
Submitted by: Sweekriti Singh Sikarwar
Roll No: 22/HIS/59
Examination no: 22029518056
Date of submission: 19th November 2024
Assignment topic: Climate Change and its Impact on Agriculture and Food Security.

Food Security is defined by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO, 2009) as ensuring everyone has
consistent physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food. This concept is
grounded in four critical pillars: availability, access, utilization, and stability (Committee on World Food
Security, 2012). Despite global initiatives like the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs) to eradicate hunger and promote sustainable agriculture, food insecurity
continues to affect over 820 million people worldwide, particularly in Africa, Latin America, and Asia (FAO,
2019).

Climate Change, characterized by rising global temperatures, changing precipitation patterns, and increased
frequency of extreme weather events, poses a profound threat to food security. It impacts agriculture and
natural resources, disrupting food systems and creating socio-economic consequences like poverty and
malnutrition. This article explores the multi-dimensional impacts of climate change on food security,
focusing on food availability, access, utilization, and stability.

Impact on Food Availability

Food availability refers to the sufficient production of food to meet population demands. Climate change
directly affects agricultural productivity through altered temperature and rainfall patterns, increased
frequency of droughts, floods, and extreme weather events. Key impacts include:

Reduced Crop Yields: Research highlights significant declines in the yields of staple crops like wheat,
maize, and rice, with global yields projected to decrease by up to 17% by 2050.
Livestock Productivity: Rising temperatures and extreme weather reduce forage availability and animal
health, decreasing livestock output.
Aquatic Systems: Marine biodiversity and fisheries are under threat as fish species migrate to cooler waters,
impacting fish availability for consumption. \
Forests and Ecosystems: Declining Forest productivity and increased pest outbreaks further reduce food
and ecosystem resilience.
Impact on Food Access
Food access is determined by households' ability to procure food through production, purchase, or aid.
Climate change exacerbates challenges in this dimension:
Income Loss: Small-scale farmers and agricultural labourers face reduced incomes due to lower
productivity and higher production costs.
Price Volatility: Climatic shocks disrupt supply chains, causing food price spikes, making nutritious food
less affordable for low-income populations.
Economic Inequalities: Countries with limited purchasing power struggle to access food markets,
worsening poverty and hunger.

Impact on Food Utilization

Food utilization concerns the body's ability to consume and metabolize food effectively. Climate change
influences utilization through:
Nutritional Declines: Elevated CO₂ levels reduce the protein and micronutrient content in staples like
cereals and cassava.
Water Quality: Climate-induced water scarcity and contamination affect nutrient absorption and increase
foodborne diseases.
Public Health Risks: Rising malnutrition and deficiencies, particularly in vulnerable groups, exacerbate
health challenges in climate-affected regions.

Impact on Food System Stability

Stability involves the ability of food systems to withstand shocks and ensure consistent supply. Climate
change impacts stability in several ways:
Extreme Events: Increased climate variability and natural disasters disrupt agricultural production, supply
chains, and infrastructure.
Migration: Repeated climate shocks force communities to migrate, further straining food systems in host
regions.
Resilience Erosion: Vulnerable populations lose adaptive capacity due to recurring climatic events, locking
them into cycles of poverty and food insecurity.

Economic and Social Impacts

The economic and social consequences of climate change on food security include:
Household Impact: Families may sell productive assets or cut spending on health and education to cope
with food price fluctuations, harming long-term resilience.
National Impact: Disruptions to agriculture, a key economic sector in many developing countries,
destabilize economies and exacerbate inequalities.
Global Impact: Climatic shocks create food price spikes, market volatility, and unequal trade dynamics,
leaving poorer nations unable to access global food markets.

Case Study: Impact of Climate Change on Food Security and Agriculture in India
India's commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) places significant emphasis on
eradicating hunger, ensuring food security, and improving nutrition. Despite substantial economic growth,
with GDP growing at 7% and per capita income at 5% annually between 1990-91 and 2013-14, India's
progress in addressing hunger and undernutrition remains limited. As of 2014, undernutrition impacted
194.6 million people, a marginal improvement from 210.1 million in 1990. Moreover, about 12 states fall
under the 'alarming' category of the Global Hunger Index, reflecting persistent challenges in achieving food
security.
India’s food security, already under pressure due to socio-economic disparities, faces additional threats from
climate change. Its effects extend beyond food production to dimensions like access and utilization,
impacting the entire food security framework.

Climate change exacerbates the vulnerabilities of Indian agriculture, primarily reliant on monsoon-
dependent rain-fed farming, which covers 65% of the cropped area. Monsoon variability, predicted to
intensify with global warming, could lead to irregular precipitation patterns, increased droughts in north-
western India, and heightened wetness in the southern regions.

Key crops like wheat and rice are particularly sensitive to climate-induced temperature and water stresses.
For instance, a 0.5°C rise in winter temperatures may reduce wheat yield by 0.45 tonnes per hectare.
Similarly, rice productivity is expected to decline under acute water shortages and thermal stress.

India's cereal yields (2,961.6 kg/ha) lag significantly behind global averages, such as North America's 6,671
kg/ha. Despite advancements, yield growth has stagnated since the 1980s, indicating that meeting future
food demand will require substantial improvements in productivity.

India’s agriculture depends heavily on groundwater, particularly in water-stressed states like Punjab and
Haryana, which contribute significantly to rice and wheat production. Groundwater levels are declining
rapidly, with 54% of wells showing a decrease, signaling impending challenges for irrigation. With rising
temperatures and erratic rainfall, the gap between water demand and availability is expected to widen,
further straining foodgrain production.

The socio-economic consequences of climate change disproportionately affect vulnerable populations.

Droughts and floods, increasingly frequent due to climate change, disrupt livelihoods, reduce incomes, and
exacerbate food insecurity. For example, a study in Maharashtra's Jalna district revealed a 60% decline in
farmers' annual income during the 2012-13 drought, directly affecting child nutrition.

Urban areas also face challenges as rural-to-urban migration increases due to climate-induced livelihood
disruptions. Migrant populations often reside in urban slums, facing poor nutrition and limited access to
secure employment. The prevalence of undernutrition among urban children highlights the critical need to
address urban food insecurity.

The interplay between climate change and food security presents a formidable challenge for India. It
necessitates a multi-dimensional approach, integrating sustainable agricultural practices, efficient water
resource management, and targeted policies to mitigate socio-economic vulnerabilities. Addressing these
challenges is crucial to securing India's food systems and achieving long-term development goals.

India is highly susceptible to climate-induced droughts, and while drip irrigation has been effective for high-
value horticultural crops, its adoption remains limited. To expand the use of micro and drip irrigation, the
government should shift subsidies from electricity for irrigation, which contributes to the depletion of
groundwater, towards incentivizing drip irrigation systems. A comprehensive, four-pronged strategy for
water management is essential:
 Enhance irrigation efficiency across the country.
 Promote micro-irrigation in water-scarce regions.
 Invest in better water resource infrastructure planning.
 Restore rural water bodies to improve water availability and ecosystem health.

India’s public health system has struggled to address climate change-related health risks. Despite the high
burden of vector-borne and diarrheal diseases, especially in urban slums and tribal areas, these issues were
overlooked in the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC). The government must now prioritize
health within the NAPCC framework, with a focus on climate-related diseases, food security, and public
health infrastructure. Increased public health funding is critical to improving outcomes.
To secure food security amidst climate change, efforts must focus on improving the livelihoods of
vulnerable populations. The National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) has been instrumental in
reducing poverty and improving rural well-being, but additional funding and streamlined implementation are
necessary to maximize its impact. Furthermore, a similar scheme should be considered for urban areas to
support the growing number of climate-vulnerable populations in cities.

Urban areas in India are experiencing increasing food insecurity, exacerbated by climate change.
Policymakers must adopt a dual approach addressing both access and absorption of food. Strengthening
public distribution systems, as seen in Tamil Nadu, could significantly improve access to nutritious food.
Additionally, improving sanitation and living conditions in informal urban settlements, including through
initiatives like the Swachh Bharat Mission, will help mitigate health risks and enhance food absorption.

India’s urban areas face severe deficiencies in disaster management, particularly in the aftermath of climate-
induced disasters. The government should invest more in building climate-resilient infrastructure to
minimize health risks, particularly in flood-prone areas. Long-term disaster relief strategies, including cash
transfers to affected farmers and landless workers, need to be complemented by sustainable agricultural
adaptation measures and enhanced child nutrition programs.

Short-term disaster relief measures are insufficient for India’s agricultural sector, which is highly vulnerable
to climate-induced shocks. The government must adopt a long-term perspective on disaster relief, focusing
not only on immediate aid but also on rebuilding agricultural resilience and preventing long-term
undernutrition, especially in disaster-affected regions.

To develop effective climate-resilient strategies, India must invest in comprehensive research on the impacts
of climate change on all aspects of food security. This should include assessing the effects of climate change
on agricultural productivity, food absorption, and undernutrition. Such research will provide critical insights
for developing targeted policy interventions to enhance food security and resilience to climate change.

In conclusion, the impact of climate change on food security and agriculture is profound, multifaceted, and
increasingly urgent. By threatening food availability, access, utilization, and system stability, climate change
exacerbates existing vulnerabilities, particularly in developing countries like India. The interplay of reduced
crop yields, volatile food prices, declining water resources, and health risks highlights the interconnected
nature of these challenges.
Addressing these impacts requires a comprehensive and proactive approach, integrating sustainable
agricultural practices, improved water management, resilient infrastructure, and targeted social policies.
Enhancing rural and urban livelihoods, strengthening disaster preparedness, and investing in health and
nutrition systems are crucial steps in mitigating climate-related risks. Furthermore, promoting equitable
access to resources and technology, coupled with robust research and policy frameworks, will be
instrumental in building climate-resilient food systems.
As global temperatures continue to rise, the need for collaborative efforts at local, national, and international
levels becomes imperative to ensure food security for all and to achieve sustainable development goals in
the face of a changing climate.

REFRENCES:
 Chakrabarty, Malancha. Climate Change and Food Security in India. ORF Issue Brief, no. 157,
September 2016. Observer Research Foundation.
 García, María del Mar Hidalgo. The Impact of Climate Change on Food Security.
 Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Climate Change and Food Security: Risks and
Responses. Rome: FAO, United Nations.
 El Bilali, Hamid, Imaël Henri Nestor Bassolé, Lawali Dambo, and Sinisa Berjan. "Climate Change
and Food Security." Agriculture and Forestry 66, no. 3 (2020): 197–210