Climate change is increasingly recognized as an
emerging crisis requiring radical and
immediate action. While children are among the most
vulnerable, they need not be
considered passive or helpless victims. As climate change is
projected to have significant impacts on the agricultural sector and on water access, as well as cause loss of livelihoods,
access to adequate nutrition is
set to worsen as impacts intensify and the incidence of extreme events
increases. Children are particularly
vulnerable to climate-related food insecurity, with millions of children around the world struggling to get sufficient
nutrition in their daily diet.
Africa has often been
identified as one of the most vulnerable regions to climate variability and
changes because of multiple stress and low resilience, poverty , weak
institution among others , and with the current tread, Africa continent is to
be hit with stronger temperature increase than the global average, which as
causes some part of the continent prone to driest in the last century which include Sahel.
The current drought in the
horn of Africa that triggered famine and spurred food crises in some countries
is likely to become more in many places with extreme weather event.
Children in julma, Napal
suffer from malnutrition due to increasing level of rainfall , extended
droughts and flooding have contributed to crop failures, since 2003, world
vision on Nepal has been working with
local communities to help increase food security and nutrition outcome for
children.
Climate change threatens the
nutrition and health of the world’s poor. Changes in weather patterns can lead to flooding and drought – both of which can decimate a region’s food supply. Scientists project that rising temperatures and
shifting rains are likely to reduce crop productivity in many vulnerable regions. In developing countries, this will likely leave hundreds of millions without the ability to produce or purchase sufficient food.
In regions where livelihoods depend upon rain-based agriculture and animal husbandry, droughts and floods and the crop failures that result , seriously undermine the survival and nutrition of children and mothers. Changes in climate will also affect land areas suitable for farming and crop yields.
In addition, climate-related
ecosystem changes are making it harder to find some wild sources of food, as people’s knowledge of where and when to hunt, fish and gather food plants becomes less reliable. Major variations of
temperature, precipitation pattern and humidity will have a strong effect on
vector-borne disease and will contribute to malnutrition.
The threat of climate change
on feeding in Africa nations are to be looked into, the effect is showing and
million of children die every year due to malnutrition. There is an urgent and
immediate need to apply resources to fight against malnutrition and help the
children.
Children are the most active
weapon of change in a society, if when feed, while
children are among the most vulnerable, they need not be considered passive or helpless victims. Through education,
projects and action, children can
contribute to every aspect of climate change policy making, mitigation and adaptation. Furthermore, today’s children are tomorrow’s
business leaders, decision makers
and consumers. Children are therefore powerful agents of change.
As children better understand
the causes and impacts of climate change they will be better able to plan for,
respond to climate change.
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