Climate Change Risk On Food Safety of South Asia

Abstract

This study examines the impact of climate change on food safety in South Asia over the period 2007–2018, focusing on selected countries including Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Maldives. The South Asian region is particularly vulnerable to climate change due to its heavy reliance on agriculture, which is highly sensitive to climatic variations. The findings indicate that climate change has had a significant and predominantly adverse impact on agricultural productivity and food safety in the region. In particular, variations in precipitation patterns, rising average temperatures, and the increasing frequency of extreme heat events have directly influenced agricultural output. While moderate increases in average temperature may have a positive effect in certain contexts, extreme heat and irregular precipitation patterns tend to reduce crop yields and compromise food security. To address these challenges, the study emphasizes the importance of adopting multiple adaptation strategies, including climate-resilient agricultural practices, improved water management systems, and technological innovations. Empirically, the study employs a fixed effects model to estimate the relationship between climate variables and food production. Food production is used as the dependent variable, while average temperature, frequency of extreme heat events, average precipitation, and population are included as independent variables. The results reveal that all selected independent variables—temperature, precipitation, extreme heat, and population—have a statistically significant relationship with food production in South Asia.