A farmer is often the first person in the supply chain to be impacted by climate change and their livelihood directly depends on climate writes Down to Earth in an article. This affects the country’s overall agricultural output and also adds to food inflation. High food prices could result in people decreasing consumption. The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) has analyzed village-level data from households on their own food production and consumption and correlated the local weather situations to infer whether there was a significant relationship. A key finding from IFPRI found that people growing their own food consume more, thus adding to nutrition level and also attaining overall food security. “On average, growing grain crops at home led to Rs 12.184 higher average grain consumption per month per household.” This trend is not limited to grains. Consumption increases significantly for pulses, dairy, vegetables, and fruits if grown at home. The research could establish a link between increased consumption and reduction in child stunting, underweight, and women achieving normal body-mass-index. These trends are more pronounced in remote villages.
Republished in Jara News.