Food, Water & Climate Change

Food, Water & Climate Change

Rising food and nutrition insecurity in the face of climate change will be a defining challenge of the 21st century. Food and nutrition security encompasses the availability of food, access to nutritious food, stability of food supplies, and good care, feeding, health and sanitation practices.[1] It conveys having consistent and affordable access to enough of the right kinds of food.  

Women are more vulnerable both to chronic food and nutrition insecurity and to food insecurity caused by shocks (i.e. illness, natural disasters or the fluctuation of global food markets) for multiple reasons. For example, women have less control over productive assets, limited mobility to get to markets and scarce opportunities to earn a sustainable income. The gender and generational influence on food security is heightened in situations of crisis. Women farmers receive fewer extension services, so they are less likely to know about drought-resistant seeds or climate-resistant practices. Women do not have equal rights to land ownership or inheritance of property, and often eat last and least in households.

Reference: 1. Food and Nutrition Security: UNSCN Meeting of the Minds Nutrition Impact of Food Systems