Climate Change And Food Security: Navigating Vulnerabilities And Advancing Resilient, Equitable Solutions

Abstract

The relationship between climate change and food security is a critical issue amid rapidly changing environmental conditions. Rising global temperatures and erratic weather patterns disrupt agricultural systems, especially in rain-fed farming regions. These changes threaten not only food quantity but also accessibility and nutritional quality. This review paper examines the complex impacts of climate change on food security, focusing on vulnerable groups—women, smallholder farmers, and indigenous communities—whose adaptive capacity is limited by socio-economic inequalities. Beyond food availability, climate change reduces the nutritional value of staple crops, worsening ‘hidden hunger’ and malnutrition in impoverished areas. The study highlights the urgent need for inclusive, holistic strategies that combine climate-resilient agricultural practices with structural reforms prioritising equity and social justice. It calls for a paradigm shift towards sustainable, equitable food security approaches that recognise the interconnection of environmental, social, and political factors shaping global food systems. As a review, the methodology involved systematic synthesis of existing literature, using secondary data from peer-reviewed journals, policy briefs, and institutional reports. This enabled a thorough evaluation of current knowledge and gaps, with emphasis on gendered vulnerabilities and socio-economic disparities.