new varieties of orange sweet potato (an effective provider of vitamin A), leading to
a 63 % increase in vitamin A intakes for children aged 6–35 months, 169 % for
children aged 3–5.5 years and 42 % among women (PMNC 2012), and to
encourage research priorities on breeding sweet potato sensitive to heat spikes, and
therefore, prepare for climate change.
However, recent research suggests the relationship between climate change and
nutrition utilization has other manifestations too. A recent study published in Nature
(Myers et al. 2014) found that for rice and wheat, increased CO 2 atmospheric levels
were associated with reductions in zinc and iron content within existing cultivars.
This has particular relevance in the context of hidden hunger, and where, according
to data cited in the Nature article, there are 2.3 billion people were living in
countries whose populations received at least 60 % of their dietary zinc and/or iron
from rice or wheat. As the authors argue—
The public health implications of global climate change are difficult to predict, and we
expect many surprises. The finding that raising atmospheric [CO 2 ] lowers the nutritional
value of C3 food crops [rice and wheat] is one such surprise
5 Food System Stability
The fourth pillar of food security is food system stability. Changes to climate systems
will inevitably trigger an array of destabilizing processes on food systems. Some of
these are already discussed above, such as shifts to the geographical distribution of
crop and livestock activities, and the potential effects of climate-induced higher food
prices on food access for non-farm populations. However, these destabilizations are
potentially just the tip of the iceberg, no pun intended. In addition to these processes
are the effects of climate-induced sea-level rise, and potential increases in the incidence of extreme weather events. These occurrences may bring into being vicious
cycles of food-climate instability involving waves of distress and emergency
migration, stretching political management capabilities.
Starting with the effects of extreme weather, a warmer climate, including warmer
ocean temperatures, seems likely to generate a scenario of tropical storms with
greater severity, although possibly less frequently (Knutson et al. 2010). Similarly,
for India, Wang et al. (2012) find that since 1997, tropical storms in the pre-monsoon
period over the Arabian Sea have become more intense and earlier in the season.
Using a simulation model, Parth Sarthi et al. (2015) find that for the Bay of Bengal,
there is a likelihood of greater storm intensity, earlier in the season. Tropical storms
have several specific destabilizing effects for food systems. First and most obviously,
there is a need for emergency evacuation and food supplies. Second, when tropical
storms bring flooding and salt water invasion, fields are destroyed and may be not
arable for an extended period. Third, the disruptive effects of storms on livelihoods,
due to damage to agriculture and non-farm industries can lead to aggravated
household financial crises that can have long-lasting effects.
18
B. Pritchard
a 63 % increase in vitamin A intakes for children aged 6–35 months, 169 % for
children aged 3–5.5 years and 42 % among women (PMNC 2012), and to
encourage research priorities on breeding sweet potato sensitive to heat spikes, and
therefore, prepare for climate change.
However, recent research suggests the relationship between climate change and
nutrition utilization has other manifestations too. A recent study published in Nature
(Myers et al. 2014) found that for rice and wheat, increased CO 2 atmospheric levels
were associated with reductions in zinc and iron content within existing cultivars.
This has particular relevance in the context of hidden hunger, and where, according
to data cited in the Nature article, there are 2.3 billion people were living in
countries whose populations received at least 60 % of their dietary zinc and/or iron
from rice or wheat. As the authors argue—
The public health implications of global climate change are difficult to predict, and we
expect many surprises. The finding that raising atmospheric [CO 2 ] lowers the nutritional
value of C3 food crops [rice and wheat] is one such surprise
5 Food System Stability
The fourth pillar of food security is food system stability. Changes to climate systems
will inevitably trigger an array of destabilizing processes on food systems. Some of
these are already discussed above, such as shifts to the geographical distribution of
crop and livestock activities, and the potential effects of climate-induced higher food
prices on food access for non-farm populations. However, these destabilizations are
potentially just the tip of the iceberg, no pun intended. In addition to these processes
are the effects of climate-induced sea-level rise, and potential increases in the incidence of extreme weather events. These occurrences may bring into being vicious
cycles of food-climate instability involving waves of distress and emergency
migration, stretching political management capabilities.
Starting with the effects of extreme weather, a warmer climate, including warmer
ocean temperatures, seems likely to generate a scenario of tropical storms with
greater severity, although possibly less frequently (Knutson et al. 2010). Similarly,
for India, Wang et al. (2012) find that since 1997, tropical storms in the pre-monsoon
period over the Arabian Sea have become more intense and earlier in the season.
Using a simulation model, Parth Sarthi et al. (2015) find that for the Bay of Bengal,
there is a likelihood of greater storm intensity, earlier in the season. Tropical storms
have several specific destabilizing effects for food systems. First and most obviously,
there is a need for emergency evacuation and food supplies. Second, when tropical
storms bring flooding and salt water invasion, fields are destroyed and may be not
arable for an extended period. Third, the disruptive effects of storms on livelihoods,
due to damage to agriculture and non-farm industries can lead to aggravated
household financial crises that can have long-lasting effects.
18
B. Pritchard