Otorkpa Oche Joseph, Yusuf Abdirizak Mohamud, Aborode Abdullahi Tunde
Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, National Open University of Nigeria, Lokoja, Nigeria.
Department of Family Health, Federal Ministry of Health, Mogadishu, Somalia.
Confl Health. 2024 Oct 5;18(1):59. doi: 10.1186/s13031-024-00621-5.
This commentary explores the intersection between climate, conflict, and child nutrition, highlighting the severe child nutrition crisis in Sub-Saharan Africa exacerbated by climate change and ongoing conflicts. Shifting climate patterns disrupt agricultural productivity and food security, while persistent conflicts displace populations and destroy infrastructure, significantly increasing food insecurity and malnutrition among children. Recent UNICEF data indicates that 1 in 4 children globally live in severe food poverty, with those affected up to 50% more likely to suffer from life-threatening malnutrition. Over half a billion children reside in areas prone to climate-related extreme weather events, challenging food production, distribution, and access. Extreme weather events have led to crop failures, food shortages, and price spikes, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations. Changes in temperature and precipitation patterns also alter the nutritional content of crops, worsening nutritional challenges. Conflicts in SSA have led to a food crisis of unprecedented scale, with over 80% of the 137 million Africans facing acute food insecurity located in conflict-affected countries. The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has further disrupted global food and fertilizer supply chains, exacerbating food shortages and inflation in many African countries. Addressing this crisis requires a multifaceted approach integrating evidence-based, cost-effective strategies. This commentary advocates for the adoption of the 3 C approach-climate-smart school feeding programs, cultivation of edible insects, and community-based food hubs-as solutions to enhance child nutrition and build climate resilience.
本评论探讨了气候、冲突与儿童营养之间的交叉问题，强调了气候变化和持续冲突加剧了撒哈拉以南非洲严重的儿童营养危机。气候变化模式的转变扰乱了农业生产力和粮食安全，而持续的冲突使人口流离失所并破坏了基础设施，显著增加了儿童的粮食不安全和营养不良状况。联合国儿童基金会最近的数据表明，全球四分之一的儿童生活在严重的粮食贫困中，受影响的儿童患危及生命的营养不良的可能性要高出50%。超过5亿儿童居住在容易发生与气候相关的极端天气事件的地区，这对粮食生产、分配和获取构成了挑战。极端天气事件导致作物歉收、粮食短缺和价格飙升，对弱势群体的影响尤为严重。温度和降水模式的变化也改变了作物的营养成分，加剧了营养挑战。撒哈拉以南非洲的冲突导致了规模空前的粮食危机，在1.37亿面临严重粮食不安全的非洲人中，超过80%位于受冲突影响的国家。俄罗斯和乌克兰之间的冲突进一步扰乱了全球粮食和化肥供应链，加剧了许多非洲国家的粮食短缺和通货膨胀。应对这一危机需要采取多方面的方法，整合基于证据、具有成本效益的战略。本评论主张采用3C方法——气候智能型学校供餐计划、食用昆虫养殖和社区粮食中心——作为增强儿童营养和建设气候适应能力的解决方案。
