Global Food Security and Climate Crisis

Sep 3, 2024

Lecture Notes: Global Challenges in Food Security and Climate Change

Overview

  • The lecture discusses severe malnutrition issues in the Sahel, particularly in Western Chad and Burkina Faso.
  • It also covers the existential threat faced by low-lying islands in the South Pacific, specifically Kiribati, due to climate change and rising sea levels.

Malnutrition in the Sahel

  • Hassan's Case in Mau, Western Chad

    • 2-year-old child suffering from severe malnutrition.
    • Limited number of children at the therapeutic feeding center.
    • Aid agencies like the World Food Program (WFP) are concerned.
  • Supplementary Feeding Center in Tukuli

    • 400 mothers and children visit for food distribution by WFP.
    • High rates of severe malnutrition; WHO considers 15% emergency, here it's around 26%.
    • Specific cases: Fatima, Kubra, and Secharis need hospital care.
  • Challenges for Families

    • Suleiman Mahomet's family struggles for survival.
    • Subsistence farming; droughts lead to poor harvests.
    • Lack of infrastructure: roads, power, running water.
  • Nomadic Movements and Climate Effects

    • Nomads move south due to advancing desert and drought.
    • Feeding centers aid severely malnourished children, but early life stages are critical.
    • WFP plays a crucial role in sustaining families.

Threat to Kiribati Due to Climate Change

  • Rising Sea Levels

    • Islands like Aroray may disappear in 30-50 years due to climate change.
    • Residents like Bob Sorum build seawalls; many seek to move inland.
  • Government's Response

    • President Anote Tong emphasizes maintaining dignity despite potential loss of homeland.
    • Plan to develop islands to help residents adapt and survive.
  • Challenges in Development

    • International reluctance to invest in potentially disappearing islands.
    • FAO's involvement in helping with agricultural development and food security.
    • Developing crop varieties tolerant to rising temperatures and salty conditions.
  • Global Responsibility

    • Emphasis on holding nations accountable for their role in climate change.

Food Security Efforts in Burkina Faso

  • Current Challenges

    • High risk of hunger due to meager harvests and expensive inputs.
    • Fatima Tanabayogo's struggle to provide for a large family.
  • FAO and EU Initiatives

    • Aimed at boosting production and improving food security since June 2009.
    • Focus on training farmers, distributing inputs, and supplying improved seeds.
  • Goals and Benefits

    • Establishing sustainable seed multiplication and certification systems.
    • Providing better seeds to vulnerable households for improved harvests.
    • Benefits to seed producers in irrigated areas, enhancing national food security.

Summary

  • The lecture highlights critical global issues like malnutrition in the Sahel and climate threats to islands.
  • Efforts by international organizations to address these challenges are crucial yet face obstacles.
  • There is a pressing need for global accountability and support in combating these crises.