Is Climate Change Contributing to Food Insecurity and Poor Health Outcomes in Mozambique?

Abstract

Climate change poses a considerable threat to food security, with potentially existential economic, political and social outcomes for the entire humanity. The impact will be especially severe in low and middle-income countries that are struggling to meet the needs of a growing population. This mini-review aims to contribute to the global and, specifically, the Mozambican debate on the potential impact of climate change on food security and how it might affect the health of current and future generations. In Mozambique, climate change has already had an impact on food security and in some instances, it is exacerbating already existing diseases such as diarrhoea, malaria and cholera. However, more research is needed using empirical data that will shed light on the potential pathways and mechanisms of climate change, and its relationship with food insecurity and health outcomes. Furthermore, to ensure that climate change does not worsen the prevalence of food insecurity that is currently ravaging the country, Mozambique needs to implement all the adaptation and mitigation strategies, which have already been approved and adopted in the national climate change plan.