Impact of Climate Change on Food Security

The impact of climate change will be particularly significant on smallholder and subsistence agriculture. Livelihood systems predominantly in low latitudes will be affected by major changes due to climate change. The farming system will be directly affected by changing weather patterns, sea level rise, and the increase in frequency and intensity of extreme events. The productivity of livestock and fisheries systems will also be affected, as well as potential income from collecting activities in forests (Christoph Bals et al, 2008). It is found that of the four main elements of food security, i.e., availability, stability, utilization, and access. Agriculture must provide all people with sufficient food to prevent extensive hunger and starvation. However, food security is aggravating day by day, resulting increase in hunger in the world. The impact of climate change on food security will be huge and substantive. After an increase of 0.74°C during the last century, globally averaged surface temperature is expected to rise by between 1.1°C up to 6.4°C by the last decade of the 21st century. This temperature increase will alter the timing and amount of rainfall, and the availability of water as well as weather trends such as wind patterns, and also the intensity and incidence of weather extremes, such as droughts, heat waves, floods or storms. The existing state of affairs suggests, there is an imperative need for a transition from the present agriculture to superior value foods.