Biotechnology of the sweetpotato: ensuring global food and nutrition security in the face of climate change

Climate change is threatening future global food and nutrition security. Limiting the increase in global temperature to 1·5 °C set out in The Paris Agreement (2015) while achieving nutrient security means overhauling the current food system to create one that can deliver healthy and sustainable diets. To attain this, it is critical to understand the implications for nutrition of actions to mitigate climate change as well as the impacts of climate change on food production and the nutrient composition of foods. It is widely recognised that livestock production has a much greater environmental burden than crop production, and therefore advice is to reduce meat consumption. This has triggered concern in some sectors about a lack of protein in diets, which hence is driving efforts to find protein replacements. However, in most high- and middle-income countries, protein intakes far exceed dietary requirements and it would even if all meat were removed from diets. Reduction in micronutrients should be given more attention when reducing meat. Simply eating less meat does not guarantee healthier or more sustainable diets. Climate change will also affect the type, amount and nutrient quality of food that can be produced. Studies have shown that increased temperature and elevated CO2 levels can reduce the nutrient density of some staple crops, which is of particular concern in low-income countries. Nutrition from a climate change perspective means considering the potential consequences of any climate action on food and nutrition security. In this paper, we discuss these issues from an interdisciplinary perspective.

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Food and Nutrition Security in the Australia-New Zealand Region: Impact of Climate Change

World Review of Nutrition and Dietetics - Healthy Agriculture, Healthy Nutrition, Healthy People ◽

10.1159/000327823 ◽

2011 ◽

pp. 192-200 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Linda C. Tapsell ◽

Yasmine Probst ◽

Mark Lawrence ◽

Sharon Friel ◽

Victoria Flood ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

New Zealand ◽

Impact Of Climate Change ◽

Food And Nutrition Security ◽

Nutrition Security ◽

Food And Nutrition

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Addressing the challenges of climate change and biofuel production for food and nutrition security

Food Research International ◽

10.1016/j.foodres.2010.03.010 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 43 (7) ◽

pp. 1729-1744 ◽

Cited By ~ 59

Author(s):

M.C. Tirado ◽

M.J. Cohen ◽

N. Aberman ◽

J. Meerman ◽

B. Thompson

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Biofuel Production ◽

Food And Nutrition Security ◽

Nutrition Security ◽

Food And Nutrition

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A qualitative exploration of the impacts of climate change on food and nutrition security and diet-related non-communicable diseases in Vanuatu

10.5204/thesis.eprints.214101 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Amy Savage

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Communicable Diseases ◽

Non Communicable Diseases ◽

Food And Nutrition Security ◽

Nutrition Security ◽

Food And Nutrition ◽

Qualitative Exploration ◽

Impacts Of Climate Change

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Adaptation to Impacts of Climate Change on the Food and Nutrition Security Status of a Small Island Developing State

Natural Resources Management ◽

10.4018/978-1-5225-0803-8.ch043 ◽

2017 ◽

pp. 919-944 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Antoine Marie Moustache

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Production Systems ◽

Small Island ◽

Adaptation Measures ◽

Coastal Fisheries ◽

Food And Nutrition Security ◽

Nutrition Security ◽

Food And Nutrition ◽

Seychelles Islands ◽

Farm Structures

More frequent extreme weather events, foreseen with climate change, will impact severely on the agricultural and fisheries production systems of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) such as the Seychelles Islands. Understanding the impacts on agricultural production and coastal fisheries is important to plan adaptation measures for sustainable development, particularly for national food and nutrition security. This chapter addresses some impacts on soil systems in Seychelles: the main cultivation medium. It proposes soil management and conservation practices, and adaptation measures relevant to farm structures and homes to counter these impacts. It addresses alien invasive species and their impacts on food production systems along with coastal fisheries. In conclusion, it urges the implementation of simple, cost-effective adaptation measures to counter these threats.

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