Chapter 25 - The economic aspects of climate risks and food insecurity

Abstract

In the present times, climate risks and food insecurity present significant challenges to human race. It became of more concern recently due to the finding that after demonstrating a prolonged decline, 2016 witnessed fresh episodes of global hunger. In 2017, the number of undernourished people around the globe reached more than 800 million, i.e., one person in every nine on the planet. Severe food insecurity and undernourishment appear to be increasing in all subregions of South America and Africa. However, in comparison, the situation remains a little stable in most regions of Asia. If we desire to achieve a world without the challenge of food insecurity by 2030, it is imperative to scale up the actions to improve the adaptive capacity and resilience of food systems in response to climate extremes and variability. It will require disaster risk reduction and management, and climate change adaptation to be integrated in short- to long-term national and international practices, programs, and policies. This chapter will talk about climate risks, food insecurity, economic value of the global crisis, and economic impact of climate change with particular focus on food security in detail. In the end, a few policy recommendations will also be made.