Plenary, Zero Hunger (SDG 2), Good Health & Well-being (SDG 3)
Multifunctional role of food and agriculture in eradicating hunger and enhancing health and well-being in climate-sensitive environments Mark N. Wuddivira Faculty of Food and Agriculture, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago. E-mail: mark.wuddivira@sta.uwi.edu Global Environmental Change associated with a changing climate along with a myriad of socio-political and economic stressors continue to adversely impact global food security. Despite global efforts, in 2022, an estimated 45 million children under the age of 5 suffered from wasting, 148 million had stunted growth and 37 million were overweight. A fundamental shift in trajectory is needed to achieve the 2030 nutrition targets. Developing nations in climate-sensitive regions are vulnerable to climate change, climate extremes and climate variability. Noting the intricate interconnectivity between agriculture and the environment, agri-food systems must be set up in a way that they not only sustain livelihoods but also improve resilience, alleviate environmental degradation, and improve nutritious diets and health outcomes. The role of food and agriculture as the convergence of science, technology, innovation, policy intervention, and community empowerment become critical. Using the Caribbean Small Island States as a case study, food and nutrition security in climate-sensitive environments are in the context of food, diets, and health outcomes focusing on undernourishment, stunting and wasting, overweight and obesity. The potential of Climate-Smart agricultural practices as transformative approaches to mitigating hunger and malnutrition, coupled with the role of chemistry in food safety practices, the development of drought- resistance varieties, biofortification techniques, and sustainable soil and water management approaches are explored. Further dive is taken into resilient agri-food systems and their health implications to combat malnutrition, curtail the prevalence of diet-related diseases, and address health threats from environmental degradation. In conclusion, interdisciplinary collaboration utilizing a paradigm change toward sustainable, inclusive, and resilient food systems that can withstand and thrive in vulnerable areas in the face of climate challenges is proposed with science, technology, and policy as the hallmark of sustainable and resilient food and agriculture systems, particularly in climate-sensitive environments.
Key words: Climate-Sensitive Environments, Food Security, Climate-Smart Agriculture, Health and Nutrition, Climate Resilience
© The Author(s), 2025
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