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The world is facing a terrible hunger crisis. Climate change is making the situation worse.

To be clear, hunger is a problem of abundance, not scarcity, in modern times. We produce more food than we eat. Despite this, millions of people go hungry because they can’t afford it. This is grotesque.

The pandemic, war and climate change brought matters to a point. The world is facing what United Nations secretary-general António Guterres called an “unprecedented wave of hunger and poverty” this week.

Many things can be done to prevent this. We’ll go over some ideas in a moment.

But first, let’s rewind for a minute to understand how we got here.

For starters, global food production has increased. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, primary crop production It increased by 52 percent between 2000 and 2020, reaching 9.3 billion metric tons in 2019, mainly in sugarcane, maize, wheat and rice.

Second, the number of undernourished people has been increasing since 2015, reversing a decade-long decline. This increase was mainly driven by conflicts, but the coronavirus pandemic and supply chain hurdles accelerated this trend sharply. Food prices have risen – and with them hunger. Almost in 2021 193 million people ‘no food security’ 40 million more than in 2020. The United Nations warneddisaster conditions” in several countries.

Then, the Russian invasion of Ukraine caused food and fertilizer prices to rise.

Climate change appears in the background of all this. Warmer days and nights, as well as extreme floods and droughts, can reduce yields in some places, hinder food transport, and make staple grains less nutritious. Irregular rains make the livelihood of farmers and shepherds much more difficult.

This year, climate change has affected food security in at least one hard way. A brutal heat waveIn May, the wheat crop in parts of India was magnified by climate change and Indian officials responded as follows: ban on export wheat. Later, they limited the export of sugarcane. HE led to fears Reuters reported that rice could be next, although India says it has no such plans.

There are many levers to address food safety in a warmer facility. Here are some of the suggested fixes that you’ll be focusing more on in the years to come:

1. Self-sufficiency

India’s export restrictions on wheat and sugar reflect the country’s longstanding goal of food self-sufficiency: Produce and store enough grain to feed its people to avoid past famines. I expect more countries to consider a policy like climate change and conflict is disrupting the global food system.

Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank. recently mentioned efforts Advancing food self-sufficiency across the continent with a $1.5 billion plan to provide seeds to 20 million small farmers.

Some economists argue that being self-sufficient in food is not always the most efficient route. Sometimes growing food locally is more expensive than shipping it from elsewhere. Take a look if recent disruptions to global trade have overshadowed this argument.

2. Increased production

Climate change affects productivity. A research paper found that with every degree Celsius of average global temperatures increase. can reduce corn yield increased by 7.4 percent. Another paper He found that warmer days and nights have already slightly reduced crop yields in some countries where child malnutrition rates are high.

Many researchers are trying to develop seeds that can survive in new climatic conditions; rice that can grow in saltier water, maize to withstand drought, etc. There is also urging small farmers to helpincrease crop yields through new farming techniques or expanded access to credit, particularly in Asia and Africa.

Should productivity gains be the main goal? Critics warn of lessons learned from previous efforts to increase productivity. Beginning in the mid-20th century, the Green Revolution reduced the risks of starvation by allowing millions of farmers to harvest more grain than ever before. But it also reduced the diversity of the crops grown and made farmers dependent on seeds and chemical fertilizers sold by large agricultural companies.

There is also the impact of climate change on nutrition. A few experiments carried out in the laboratory have shown that basic grains, for example wheat, corn and ricelose vital nutrients such as iron and zinc when exposed to high levels of carbon dioxide. This is disastrous for the health and well-being of billions of children.

3 kinds

Should we eat differently? Some crops do better in extreme weather and are more nutritious. sorghum Yields are increasing in sub-Saharan Africa. Food and Agriculture Organization, millet incentiveIncluding teff in Ethiopia and fonio in Senegal. Some traditional varieties sweet potato It grows well in extreme heat. Some international donors are trying to diversify the crops.

But if decades of agricultural policy have spurred them otherwise, it’s hard to persuade farmers to grow different crops. Changing what we eat is even harder. I’m speaking from experience. I tried cooking all kinds of millet. I always come back to rice.

4. Cash

It can prevent cash starvation. Could it be some kind of climate adaptation?

Researchers examining government-run cash transfer programs four African countries He found that those that were generous and predictable improved the quantity and quality of food. found another paper Cash transfers in Brazil helped families change their situation from food insecure to food safe.

There’s also cash sent by immigrants. Inside rural mexicoAccording to one study, remittances, especially from abroad, were “a key coping strategy against food insecurity.” International charity Oxfam found: remittances were critical For families in Somalia during the famine of 2011. Somalia is once again at risk of famine.

How do remittances stack up on climate aid? Immigrants almost sent home in 2021 590 billion dollarscompared to the $100 billion annual climate finance that rich countries have promised to share with poor countries.

Before I Go: Moss Johnny Appleseed

Michael Doall hated seaweed when he was younger, and so did everyone else he knew on Long Island. It was a slimy nuisance on the beach rubbing against your legs, dirtying your fishing hook, and getting tangled in your boat propeller. Now, as a marine scientist and oyster farmer mission to bring him back to the waters around New York.

Thank you for reading. We’ll be back on Tuesday.

Manuela Andreoni, Claire O’Neill, and Douglas Alteen contributed to Climate Forward.

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