Impacts of Climate Change on Food Security: An Appraisal

Abstract

Climate change is a serious threat to agriculture, one of the major backbones of Nigeria’s economy. There has been a drastic shift from the actual climate patterns over a long period with attending impacts on human, animal, and plants. This is attributed to the increase in the emission of greenhouse gases which raise the Earth’s temperature, a phenomenon referred to as global warming. In some regions of the world, the melting of polar ice caps and glaciers has led to a rise in sea level, increased precipitation, and flooding. Nigeria is no doubt undergoing a shift in its dry and wet seasons with agricultural lands becoming arid as a result of incessant drought. This alternation in temperature and rainfall pattern due to global warming has its attendant consequence on plant yield. The rise in global temperature has led to the increased proliferation of pests and diseases which thrive successively in hot climate. This chapter is a review of the impacts of climate change and the threat it poses to food security and sustainable development. To this end, the chapter suggests adequate public sensitization on the dangers inherent in climate change both on the regional and global scale. Biotechnological advancement that will promote crops that are well able to adapt to adverse weather conditions and produce high yields is advised.