Cebu City - With the recent heat index reaching up to 41 degrees Celsius the past week in Cebu City and the aftermath brought by Typhoon Haiyan the previous years, it’s evident that climate change has already taken its toll to humanity. The impacts of climate change have significantly affected not only the weather but also us.
Among the impacts of climate change are malnutrition and food insecurity which worsens during extreme weather events and long term climate risks. Due to change in climate, the intensity of disasters has worsened destroying crops, infrastructures and community assets which will affect livelihood and eventually will lead to poverty and hunger.
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization have estimated one out of nine people to be suffering from chronic malnutrition from 2014-2016 worldwide while in the Philippines, according to the Food and Nutrition Research Institute in 2013, they have estimated one out of ten Filipino adults who are Chronic Energy Deficient whereas two out of ten children ages 0 to 5 years old are underweight.
The World Food Program of the United Nations has cited five dimensions of food security and nutrition which is affected by climate change. These dimensions are food availability, food access, food utilization and food stability.
Food Availability: Floods and drought caused by climate change can affect food availability by destroying crops and decreasing yields of produce. The unbearable rise in temperatures and decrease in rainfall this summer will have a great impact on the quality and quantity of the crops.
Food Access: The effects of climate change may increase food prices specifically crops and vegetation. For the most vulnerable population, this is very alarming since they rely mostly on agricultural production. If there is lesser agricultural output, it would result to lower income thus may greatly affect the poorest of the poor since most of their income is spent on food.
Food Utilization: In areas where food insecurity is rampant, climate change can greatly affect the utilization of food. Drastic change in temperatures may result to occurrence of emerging diseases thus making a vicious cycle of malnutrition and infection. This vicious cycle greatly influences the ability of a certain population group to receive and utilize the needed nutrients in the body.
Food Stability: Due to unpredictable disasters influenced by climate change, local government units may have a hard time strategizing plans to alleviate food security in the region. This may pose a great burden for the local government units in ensuring food stability.
What we can do
“Climate change is real. It is happening right nowand if we don’t stop or reduce its effects, eventually it will result to an increase in malnutrition and eventually lead to more deaths” said NPC Dr.Parolita A. Mission of NNC 7. Food is a basic human right but if we don’t safeguard our food then eventually we will run out of stocks.
Simple ways like saving water, recycling and unplugging machines not in use can make a big difference in reducing carbon emissions being thrown to the atmosphere. Changing the way we live by choosing wisely what’s less damaging to our environment can go a long way. The issue about climate change is not about a certain race, religion or ethnicity. It is about us, as one world. So don’t wait for the time when food will become scarce. Let us all unite and help one another in solving this problem as we also strive to make this world a better place to live in. //Retz Pol Pacalioga PHA-ND 1
