COMCEC
Malnutrition in the OIC Member
Countries: A Trap for Poverty
2.7. Effects of Climate Change and Natural Disasters in the OIC Member
Countries
Conceptual Discussion
Climate change threatens to exacerbate existing threats to food security and livelihoods due to
a combination of factors that include the increasing frequency and intensity of climate hazards,
diminishing agricultural yields and reduced production in vulnerable regions, rising health and
sanitation risks and increasing water scarcity (IPCC, 2007). An assessment of the likely impact
of climate change of agricultural production in Africa found that some regions would
experience severe reductions or total loss of agricultural productivity whereas other areas
may benefit from increased rainfall (Müller et al. 2011]. However, negative trends are more
common than positive ones (Parry et al. 2014).
Climate change is thought to impact human nutritional status but it is also established that
nutrition patterns (mostly the type of foods people choose to consume) has an impact on
climate change (usually meat heavy diets have a great impact on climate change)
(International Food Policy Research Institute 2016). The causal pathways through which
climate change affects nutrition are complex, as climate change can lead to a variety
environmental changes including drought and water scarcity, but also increased salinization of
agricultural lands, logistical challenges caused by increased frequency of climate disasters and
increased burden of tropical disease and pest infestations which impact agricultural outputs
(Parry et al. 2014).
Using the UNICEF conceptual framework, and starting with the basic causes of malnutrition,
climate change make the environment less enabling for nutrition because of e.g. less frequent
and predicable rainfall. Climate change influences political priorities, adversely impact
economic growth, and exacerbate inequalities, as the poorest tend to live in areas which are
most affected by climate change (International Food Policy Research Institute 2016). Globally,
more than 70% of agriculture is rain-fed, which is especially vulnerable to climate change.
Drought, leading to loss of livelihoods has been shown to reduce overall food consumption as
well as dietary diversity, leaving to both acute and chronic malnutrition. Studies of populations
affected by droughts have found increased mortality rates for those with chronic disease such
as HIV as well as an increased likelihood of contracting, and dying from communicable disease
such as diarrhoeal disease (Parry et al. 2014). Additionally, climate change is linked with
increased rates of population displacement especially from rural areas to urban centres as
people seek employment. This can lead to overcrowding and lack of access to safe water and
shelter, thereby promoting disease transmission and making the nutritional status of the
population poorer (Parry et al. 2014).
Climate change is impacting key pillars of food security including access and utilisation of food
and food price stability (Parry et al. 2014). Climate change is expected to cause increases in the
prices of the most common staples (including rice, wheat and maize) of 5-25% by 2050.
Additionally, the actual nutritional content of these staples will decrease, including in terms of
zinc, iron and protein as a result of increased CO2 emissions (International Food Policy
Research Institute 2016). The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) established
with a high degree of confidence that global temperature increases as well as increasing
population leading to increased demand for food will pose threats to global food security
(Parry et al. 2014).
62