PARIS: As global temperatures soar to record highs, a new study published on Monday warns that a mere few days of extreme heat can exacerbate food insecurity for billions of people who already struggle to make ends meet. The study underscores how searing temperatures can rapidly push individuals living on daily wages towards hunger and further endanger their food security.
Researchers from Oxford University found that a week of extreme heat in a country like India could result in an additional eight million people facing severe food insecurity. The study, published in the journal Nature Human Behaviour, examined 150 countries, especially those in tropical and sub-tropical regions, and highlighted that even a minor increase of less than one percent in overall food precarity due to a heatwave can put millions of men, women, and children at risk of hunger.
According to the World Bank, nearly 30 percent of the global population experienced moderate or severe food insecurity in 2022. While the impact of heat on food availability has usually been associated with long-term effects on crop yields, this study emphasizes the immediate impact that heat can have on individuals’ ability to work and earn an income to afford food.
High Risk of Food Insecurity
Lead author Carolin Kroeger explained, “If it gets hot today, there might be food insecurity within just a few days because people can’t work, which means they can’t earn income and afford to buy food.” This phenomenon is particularly evident in jobs where pay is directly tied to productivity, such as agricultural work and piece-rate labor.
The study also highlighted how the impact of heat on income and food security was greater in countries with lower incomes, higher agricultural employment, and more vulnerable work arrangements. For instance, the study pointed out that people who experienced a hot week were more likely to face health problems and economic difficulties, leading to significantly lower income levels.
In 2021, extreme heat led to the loss of 470 billion potential work hours globally, equivalent to almost 1.5 weeks of work per person. The study’s findings come at a time when food prices remain high due to inflation, and concerns about food security have increased following India’s decision to restrict rice exports due to damaged harvests.
Aside from income-related impacts, rising temperatures have also been linked to decreased nutrient content in staple crops and legumes, potentially exacerbating malnutrition in many regions.
The study underscores the urgent need for adaptive measures to address the immediate effects of heat on vulnerable populations, including micro-insurances and labor law improvements. The researchers emphasized that while climate change poses significant challenges, proactive measures could still tilt the balance towards better outcomes.
The study aligns with warnings from the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which predicts that hundreds of millions of people could experience “deadly heat days” annually by 2080 if global temperatures are not effectively curbed.
