Assessing climate change-induced food security risks for rural communities in South Punjab, Pakistan

Background: Food security is a critical issue in rural areas, influenced by various socioeconomic factors, dietary practices, and resource ownership. Understanding the determinants of food security can help in designing effective interventions to improve the well-being of rural households. Purpose: This study aims to identify and analyze the key determinants of food security among rural households, focusing on dietary diversity, land ownership, and other socioeconomic factors. Methods: The dataset used in this study includes variables such as gender, marital status, education, land ownership, food crop cultivation, meal frequency, age, food source, Food Security Index (FSI), and Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS). Multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to explore the relationships between these variables and the FSI. Additionally, a Random Forest Regressor model was employed to predict the FSI and to determine the importance of each feature. Results: The multiple linear regression analysis revealed that HDDS has a significant positive relationship with the FSI (p<0.001), indicating that higher dietary diversity is associated with higher food security levels. Other variables, such as education and food source, showed weaker correlations with food security. The Random Forest Regressor model achieved an R-squared value of 0.495, with feature importance analysis indicating that HDDS, food source, and age are the most influential factors in determining food security. The Mean Squared Error (MSE) of the model was 10.743. Conclusion: This research highlights the crucial role of dietary diversity and socioeconomic conditions in shaping food security outcomes in rural areas. The findings provide valuable insights for policymakers and stakeholders aiming to enhance food security and dietary quality in rural communities. Further studies are recommended to explore the complex interactions between these variables and to develop targeted interventions to improve food security.

The study examined environmental management strategies for sustainable food security in rural communities in Rivers State. The design of the study was descriptive survey design. The population of the study comprised 450 farmers in Bodo, Elele and Omoku communities in Rivers State. The study used the entire population of 450 farmers due to its manageability. The instrument for data collection was a structured questionnaire developed by the researcher which was validated by experts and its reliability was tested and obtained an index of 0.81. The analysis of data was done using mean statistics. The study revealed that environmental challenges have a huge impact on agricultural productivity and food security in numerous areas except for the access to farming inputs in these communities. It also revealed that environmental management strategies such as restoration techniques, efficient water management systems, climate-resilient farming practices, pest management strategies, education and training for farmers as well as proper waste management are much effective in enhancing sustainable food security in these communities. It was concluded that implementing environmental management strategies is imperative for achieving a resilient and sustainable food system, which is essential for the well-being of communities in Rivers State and the nation. The researchers therefore recommend amongst others that Government, with help from extension agencies, should organize workshops, training sessions, and demonstration farms to educate farmers on modern agricultural techniques and environmental conservation methods.

Achieving food and nutrition security for all people remains one of the defining challenges for humanity in the 21st century. The crisis related to strengthening food security during the Covid-19 pandemic has become a global concern. The World Food Program states that despite developments in agricultural technology, micronutrient deficiencies and stunting remain problems. The purpose of this study was to determine the pattern of food and non-food consumption of the community in Temanggung Regency, as well as the efforts in dealing with community food security. A qualitative approach was used in analyzing a model to formulate policies for strengthening community food security during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results showed that the Temanggung Regency Government has designed an intervention by preparing a strategic plan and implementing a cross-sectoral approach. The policy programs and activities relate to food safety, quality of food intake and nutrition. However, according to the results, promoting food security in villages does not guarantee a decrease in malnutrition, and in some villages such as Kalimangis, the health status of children has actually deteriorated. The relationship between food security and family nutritional conditions is not linear due to factors related to environmental health, cleanliness and healthy lifestyle behaviors. Therefore, interventions in the field of food security have to be followed by interventions related to personal health status and environmental conditions. Keywords: food security, program intervention model, environmental health

Food insecurity is a wicked, complex, and critical problem. Although evidence supporting a wide range of assertions regarding the outcomes of social learning is still being investigated, its potential to improve food security challenges is growing. Nonetheless, more work is needed to understand when and how social learning-oriented approaches are effective in food security situations. We address this gap by investigating how elements of social learning and Freire’s key concepts are exemplified in existing real-world experiences of food security in rural communities. The case studies in Brazil, Community Seed Banks in Paraíba State, in the northeast and Biodiversity Kit in Guaraciaba, Santa Catarina State, in the south, are examples of small farmers facing and overcoming their limit-situation of food insecurity through celebrating, planting, and saving traditional seeds (landraces). A mixed-methods approach was applied based on semi-structured interviews and a literature review. The key findings show that local initiatives based on the interconnections of social learning and Freire´s concepts have improved food security in two cases. The practice of landrace rescue as a food security strategy is strengthened through a culture of closeness and solidarity, through values that are celebrated in the festivities, community meetings, and other exchanges of experiences. Applications of our conceptual framework in operational interventions show clear potential for generating the necessary changes for a more sustainable world, specifically in food security and sovereignty projects, as described in the cases studies.

In Indonesia, smallholders have historically practiced agroforestry, which warrants examination in terms of food and livelihood security within sustainable community forest frameworks. Based on a literature review, we analyzed these two forms of security related to smallholder agroforestry practices. Findings indicate diverse agroforestry systems, with 88% focusing on non-timber forest products (NTFPs) and 12% on timber. While 42% prioritize direct food supply, 58% emphasize income generation through product sales. However, agroforestry that does not produce food for direct consumption by smallholders generates revenue for purchasing food necessities. Agroforestry supports both food needs (46–61%) and income (51–54%) for smallholders, surpassing traditional agriculture (13%). Semi-commercial agroforestry (57%) is a predominant livelihood prospect. The remaining 27% are purely subsistence, and 15% are purely commercial. However, the commercialization of agroforestry that focuses only on high-value commodities results in a negative impact on biodiversity. There is a concomitant decrease in environmental services for climate change mitigation and adaptation. Biodiversity remains crucial for climate resilience, health care, and food security in rural communities. Semi-commercial agroforestry is a midpoint for achieving multifunctional agriculture (biodiversity, soil and water conservation, food security, and income) in the climate change era. The research directly related to food security and ecosystem services quantification remains limited, necessitating further investigation. Policy support and incentives are essential for smallholders practicing complex agroforestry for climate adaptation and mitigation.

The food crisis of 2007-2008 and the renewed surge in food prices in 2010-2011 have exposed deep structural problems in the global food system and the need to increase food production. The World Food Summit of 1996 defined food security as existing "when all people at all times have access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life". Despite Nepal has no worse food and nutrition security situation among SAARC countries, there are some districts where food is always in shortage. Also some ethnic groups who are bit away from this type of food security system gaining. Some activities are also done by some organizations to them but in few needed term only. The explicit constitutional recognition of the right to food and other related provisions in articles 36 and 42 of the new constitution will be instrumental for implementing food security programs in the country. The food security for the poor people is based on sustainable food production. Many proven technologies and improved practices have promise to boost agricultural production and ensure food security in developing countries like Nepal. Food and Nutrition security program (FANUSEP) is one of the flagship programs of Agriculture Development Strategy 2015-2035 (ADS), which is at the first phase of its implementation. It aims at improving food and nutrition security of the most vulnerable groups of the population

ObjectiveThe interaction of poverty and climate‐related crisis, along with socio‐ecological determinants of poor nutrition, could become major factors negatively affecting food and nutrition security (FNS). Therefore, it is important to identify resilience factors to enrich FNS. This study aimed at the identification of resilience factors (RF) as contributors to food and nutrition security in 3 communities from the municipality of Santa Catarina Mita, Department of Jutiapa, Guatemala.Methods: We assessed food and nutrition security with direct interviews, with a food security (FS) scale and with anthropometry in 184 families from the communities of La Barranca, El Quebracho y La Javia, from the southern department of Jutiapa.Results: A total of 590 subjects, mean age of 31y with 0‐99y as range, were recruited from the selected households (hholds). FS was present in 24% of hholds. RF associated with less vs. more malnutrition in preschool age children included hholds with cement floor, using a sewer system, availability of rice, eggs and leafy leaves and head of hhold not working in agriculture. For mothers, RF for less vs. more overweight and obesity included education, not buying sweet drinks, drinking water from the public system and head of hholds growing corn and beans as cash crops.ConclusionsOnly one‐quarter of families evaluated were food secure. Contrasting them against those food insecure, we identified resilience factors to avoid malnutrition in preschoolers and to control overweight/obesity among mothers. The identification of RF for sustainable FNS and for promoting health could contribute to solutions for the socio‐economic development of rural communities.

This paper examines the nexus between food security and sustainability governance through a case study of palm oil. Palm oil's advocates claim that campaigns against palm oil and actions to halt its expansion due to sustainability concerns can undermine its food security role. However, palm oil expansion more directly undermines the food and livelihood security of rural and indigenous communities when land that rightfully belongs to, or has been used by, these communities is alienated to firms for oil palm cultivation with little or no consultation or compensation provided or alternatives considered. It is in this context that the paper examines whether the multi-stakeholder Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) is able to ensure that this commodity is cultivated in ways that minimise environmental damage and livelihood disruption, thereby safeguarding palm oil's contribution to food security. The findings are mixed. RSPO certification provides fairly comprehensive and progressive socio-environmental regulation that has enhanced sustainable production practises in this industry especially by the larger transnational plantation companies mindful of their global reputation. The RSPO is also far more responsive than governments have been to the land rights of rural and indigenous communities, providing due process for land claimants as well as recognising that these communities may have legitimate rights to land even if companies were awarded legal title by governments. However, multi-stakeholder regimes can be fragile, requiring a great deal of internal accommodation and trade-offs to work. Already, different interests in the RSPO are pulling in different directions while national certification systems have emerged that are less onerous compared to the RSPO even as the latter seeks to further enhance its sustainability credentials.

Climate change significantly impacts agricultural production, food security, and livelihoods of rural communities in Sukabumi District. This study examines the relationship between climate change, agricultural production, food security, and the livelihoods of rural communities in the Sukabumi District. The study used a qualitative approach, including household surveys, interviews with key informants, and focus group discussions, to gather in 20 villages. Studies have found that climate change has led to a decline in crop yields, which has led to food insecurity and decreased incomes and livelihood opportunities for rural communities. Studies have also found that rural communities have used various adaptation strategies to cope with the impacts of climate change. However, these strategies are not enough to fully address the challenges faced by rural communities. The study's findings highlight the need for effective adaptation strategies to help rural communities cope with the impacts of climate change. In addition, the study findings point to the need for more investment in climate change research and monitoring, especially at the local level, to better understand the impact of climate change on rural communities and to provide foundational information for evidence-based policymaking and decision-making. Studies have limitations, including limited sample size and reliance on self-reported data. Future research could use a longitudinal design and incorporate more objective measures of agricultural productivity and food security to understand better climate change's impact on rural communities in Sukabumi District.

Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) are experiencing a Diet-Related Non-Communicable Disease (DR-NCD) health crisis(1). Increasing rates of DR-NCDs such as Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease have been linked to dietary transitions and increasing food insecurity in the region(2). Anthropogenic climate change has also been identified as a significant threat to food security in PICTs(3). Additionally, the impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic have been identified as both a contributor to food insecurity in the region and as an opportunity to transform PICT food systems and reduce rates of DR-NCDs(4). Yet, the drivers of dietary change, food security and agricultural practices in peripheral PICT communities are not well documented or understood. To determine how these drivers may change in the future and the impacts this may have on Pacific peoples, a deeper understanding of the historical and contemporary drivers of change is necessary. The aim of this scoping review was to collate existing information to improve this understanding, by mapping key factors evident in the literature that underpin the links between DR-NCDs and food security with a focus on women in PICT peripheral communities, to better clarify the challenges, working definitions and conceptual boundaries in the research area. The review maps where research has been conducted geographically and how the links between DR-NCDs and food security in PICTs have been investigated over time and identifies projections and suggestions for the future. The scoping review was conducted in accordance with a pre-defined protocol available online(5). A total of 476 peer-reviewed sources and 126 grey literature sources were identified by the initial search criteria. Two independent researchers completed title/abstract and full text screening using Covidence, and data extraction using a data extraction tool. The resulting data was quantified in table format, with common themes and ideas presented qualitatively. Sources spanned all sectors of PICT food systems with a heavy focus on production from fisheries and agriculture. Most PICTs were represented in the findings. Many drivers of change within food systems were identified, some of which included the impacts of anthropogenic climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic, and urbanisation. The drivers impacted all four pillars of food security, and many were directly or indirectly related to dietary and lifestyle changes associated with DR-NCD risk factors. This data is accompanied by an interpretation of results and a narrative summary. These results provide a useful platform to further explore the drivers of dietary change, food security, agricultural practices and DR-NCD’s in this region.

Background: Food security in communities can prevent health complications, so investigators have made efforts to find its related factors through various fields. This study aims to draw a road map for nutrition and food security research in Iran. Methods: Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Islamic World Citation Center were searched for eligible publications in nutrition and food security related to Iran for the two decades from 2001 to 2020. Content analysis was done by a co-word network technique using VOSviewer software. Results: Finally, 28,995 scientific publications among 50,444 search results were eligible to include in this study. The research map was drawn using 403,262 keywords obtained from the title and abstract of the papers. A 23.53% growth rate of publications was seen. Iranian articles were mainly published in scientific journals under 10 subject categories. The highly repeated keywords of "treatment", "plant", "age", "risk", and "consumption" were in publications. Moreover, the articles were categorized into thematic clusters of "environmental and climate change", "health ", "food industry and food safety", and "agriculture and water resources management" which were related to nutrition and food security. An increasing trend was observed in the number of publications during the past two decades in Iran. Conclusion: The relation of clinical nutrition, malnutrition, diet, and in recent years, food production and climate change with food security have been extensively studied by Iranian researchers. However, they have neglected studies on public health and policy in food and nutrition security, which reveals their dominant clinical or agricultural approach.

This paper investigates the factors affecting rural household food security in three different regions of the Punjab Province of Pakistan. For this it used Binary Logistic regression modelling based on primary data source from 3 districts each of South and North and 6 districts of Central Punjab. According to the results, Central Punjab was found to be the most food insecure region where about 31% of the sample households were measured to be food insecure. In South and North Punjab, 13.5% and 15% of the sample households were measured as food insecure, respectively. It was found that monthly income and livestock assets improve and family size deteriorates household food security across all the three regions. In Central Punjab, education level of graduation and above had a positive impact on food security while in North Punjab both middle and intermediate levels had positive impacts. Additionally, household heads’ increasing age deteriorated food security in Central Punjab. On the other hand, total number of earners in the household improved food security in the North Punjab. Food security can be improved by targeting the neediest households.

Despite long histories of traditional food security, Indigenous peoples globally are disproportionately exposed to food insecurity. Addressing this imbalance must be a partnership led by Indigenous peoples in accordance with the UN Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. We report the co-design process and resulting design of a food security research project in remote Australia and examine how the co-design process considered Indigenous peoples’ ways of knowing, being, and doing using the CREATE Tool. Informed by the Research for Impact Tool, together Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation staff, Indigenous and non-Indigenous public health researchers designed the project from 2018–2019, over a series of workshops and through the establishment of research advisory groups. The resulting Remote Food Security Project includes two phases. Phase 1 determines the impact of a healthy food price discount strategy on the diet quality of women and children, and the experience of food (in)security in remote communities in Australia. In Phase 2, community members propose solutions to improve food security and develop a translation plan. Examination with the CREATE Tool showed that employing a co-design process guided by a best practice tool has resulted in a research design that responds to calls for food security in remote Indigenous communities in Australia. The design takes a strengths-based approach consistent with a human rights, social justice, and broader empowerment agenda. Trial registration: The trial included in Phase 1 of this project has been registered with Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12621000640808.

Hunting and consumption of wild animals, colloquially known as "bushmeat," is associated with health trade-offs. Contact with wildlife increases exposure to wildlife-origin zoonotic diseases yet bushmeat is an important nutritional resource in many rural communities. In this study, we test the hypothesis that bushmeat improves food security in communities that hunt and trade bushmeat regularly. We conducted 478 interviews with men and women in six communities near Cross River National Park in Nigeria. We used interview responses to relate prevalence and diversity of bushmeat consumption to household food security status. Animal-based foods were the most commonly obtained items from the forest, and 48 types of wild vertebrate animals were consumed within the past 30days. Seventy-five percent of households experienced some degree of food insecurity related to food access. Bushmeat consumption was significantly associated with relatively higher household food security status. Rodents were more important predictors of food security than other animal taxa. Despite increased bushmeat consumption in food-secure households, food-insecure households consumed a higher diversity of bushmeat species. Results show that consumption of bushmeat, especially rodents, is uniquely related to improved food security. Reliance on a wider diversity of species in food-insecure households may in turn affect their nutrition, exposures to reservoirs of zoonotic infections, and impact on wildlife conservation. Our results indicate that food security should be addressed in conservation and public health strategies aimed at reducing human-wildlife contact, and that improved wildlife protection, when combined with alternative animal-based foods, would positively affect food security in the long term.

Climate change is a pervasive global issue that threatens the livelihoods and wellbeing of billions living globally. Climate change is a risk multiplier impacting all ecosystems, society, and sectors of the economy. The agriculture sector is one such sector that is highly vulnerable to changes in climate. In a country like Nepal where rainfed agriculture is a dominant occupation and a key pillar of the country’s economy, climate change brings risks and negative consequences for on-farm production, farmers' livelihoods as well as on the country’s development. The impacts of climate change including rising temperatures, an increase in the frequency or intensity of extreme weather events such as drought, and shifts in the rainfall seasonality, can cause a decline in food production and threaten the quality of food supplies, leading to reduced food security. The rise in the global population will increase global demand for food which implies that agriculture needs to boost production and increase yields, among other things. The unprecedented risks posed by climate change potentially undermine the ability of farms and farm holders to grow adequate and quality food. The severity of these risks varies due to a range of underlying factors including low economic development, their location, existing biophysical and socioeconomic conditions, and institutional arrangements. While the impacts of climate change on food production as well as agricultural practices in Nepal have been documented, there is a dearth in scholarly literature that has assessed the impacts of climate change on household food security in Nepal incorporating farmers’ perspectives and in particular smallholder subsistence farmers. Furthermore, there is only modest literature that has examined geographical variations in those experiences and understandings. This PhD study aimed, therefore, to investigate the effects of climate change on agricultural practices and food security, with a focus on subsistence smallholder farmers in three main agro- ecological zones of Nepal known as The Mountains, Hills, and the Terai. The study aimed to respond to the primary research question: How are Nepalese farming communities being impacted by climate change and how are they responding to ensure their continued food security? To answer this main research, question the study posed the following secondary research questions: Q1. How is climate changing and how is it impacting subsistence agriculture? Q2. What are the farmers experiencing and what is their understanding? a. Are there gender differences in understanding and experiencing? Q3. What is the state of food insecurity among these farmers? a. How is it being impacted by climate change? Q4. What adaptation strategies have been adopted by smallholder farmers to address threats to agricultural practices and food security from climate change and other pressures? Both the qualitative and qualitative data were collected using multiple methods to address the identified research questions. Methods included a narrative literature review, systematic review, face to face interviews with farmers, individual interviews with key informants and focus groups with the women's group. Climate data on temperature between 1971-2013 and rainfall between 1967-2013 were analysed. Additionally, secondary data on crop yield from 1980 to 2016 were also analysed to gain a better empirical understanding of the relations between climate change and yield pattern and to triangulate and validate the findings from the interviews. Quantitative data on cereal crop yields and climate data were systematically tabulated and further statistically analysed using software R. This study employed the Bayesian approach to statistical modelling. Besides, this study undertook an integrated risk assessment of food insecurity using the Bayesian Belief Network model to reflect how the risk of food insecurity is influenced under two scenarios: (1) current climate conditions and (2) the influences of different adaptation strategies employed. NVivo was used for content analysis for qualitative data obtained from the key informant interview and focus group data and analysis of transcripts from farmers' structured interviews. The findings showed that agricultural practices have undergone various changes over the past 30 years. Climate change impacts were experienced by farmers in all three agro-ecological zones of Nepal. However, the impacts varied between these zones in terms of frequency and intensity. The effect of climate change was highly pronounced in the Mountains zone followed by the Hills and the Terai. The results confirmed that rural subsistence smallholder farmers dependent on rainfed agriculture are vulnerable to climate change impacts. Moreover, it disproportionately affects the poor farmers whose income hinges solely on agriculture and associated activities. Boosting agricultural production and empowering these smallholders is key to enhancing their food security. The experiences reported by farmers are well aligned with the trend of the climatic variables obtained from climate data analysis, highlighting the importance of perception-based survey in complementing climate research. The study demonstrated both the climatic and non-climatic factors are affecting agricultural practices as well as household food security of these farming communities. It is, therefore, difficult to isolate the influence of any of these factors. This was supported by the findings from the risk assessment undertaken by Bayesian modelling. Based on Bayesian modelling, the smallholder farmers mainly at the Mountain zone were at the risk of food insecurity. The measures to increase the adaptive capacity of these smallholders were found to help them manage the risk of food insecurity. Addressing the complicated and multifaceted concerns of climate change and food security needs multidisciplinary and multisectoral adaptation interventions acknowledging underlying biophysical, social, economic, geographical and environmental circumstances. Farmers have taken some actions to adapt and reduce the worsening impacts of climate change. Nevertheless, farmers encountered several barriers in effectively adapting to climate change. This study concluded there is an urgent need for a transformative level of intervention that warrants a coordinated action and collaboration between relevant stakeholders working in this field, including governments and non-governmental organizations, to target the most vulnerable and the needy smallholder farmers addressing the constraints and pressures they face. Policy and decision-makers should work extensively and sensitively with smallholders to ensure the maintenance of their livelihood and to guarantee their food security. Combining local and scientific knowledge is needed to help direct research and tailor adaptation solutions that meet local conditions and needs.