While recent months have seen some easing in the pace of price increases, with the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization Food Price Index falling from the all-time-high it reached in March 2022, higher costs for food continue to challenge low- and middle-income households worldwide. While the present crisis will end, the general trend of food price volatility and ensuing food insecurity is unfortunately likely a sign of things to come under a new climate reality.
Climate change will challenge food systems in many ways: shifting temperatures and seasons will slow growth in agricultural productivity and reduce fishery yields; the increasing frequency and severity of extreme events will raise the likelihood of crop losses; and altered precipitation and temperatures will increase water scarcity. For livestock, impacts will be felt on feed quantity and quality, water access, reproduction, productivity, and health/pathogens—likely moving nutrient-dense but already relatively expensive animal-source foods further out of the reach of low-income populations.
