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COVID-19 Pandemic, Climate Change, and Conflicts on Agriculture: A Trio of Challenges to Global Food Security

Author

Listed:
  • Devendra Paudel

    (Department of Nutritional Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA)

  • Ram Chandra Neupane

    (Department of Plant Pathology and International Agriculture and Development (INTAD), The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA)

  • Sailesh Sigdel

    (Department of Plant Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA)

  • Pradip Poudel

    (Department of Plant Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA)

  • Aditya R. Khanal

    (Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, College of Agriculture, Tennessee State University, 3500 John A. Merritt Blvd., Nashville, TN 37209, USA)

Abstract

Global food security is a worldwide concern. Food insecurity is a significant threat to poverty and hunger eradication goals. Agriculture is one of the focal points in the global policy agenda. Increases in agricultural productivity through the incorporation of technological advances or expansion of cultivable land areas have been pushed forward. However, production growth has slowed in many parts of the world due to various endemic challenges, such as decreased investment in agricultural research, lack of infrastructure in rural areas, and increasing water scarcity. Climate change adversities in agriculture and food security are increasing. Recently, the COVID-19 pandemic has severely affected global food supply chains. Economic and social instability from the pandemic contribute to long-term disturbances. Additionally, conflicts such as war directly affect agriculture by environmental degradation, violence, and breaches of national and international trade agreements. A combination of food security and climate change challenges along with increased conflicts among nations and post-COVID-19 social and economic issues bring bigger and more serious threats to agriculture. This necessitates the strategic design of policies through multifaceted fields regarding food systems. In this comprehensive review, we explore how these three challenging factors, COVID-19, climate change, and conflicts, are interrelated, and how they affect food security. We discuss the impact of these issues on the agricultural sector, plus possible ways of preventing or overcoming such adverse effects.

Suggested Citation

  • Devendra Paudel & Ram Chandra Neupane & Sailesh Sigdel & Pradip Poudel & Aditya R. Khanal, 2023. "COVID-19 Pandemic, Climate Change, and Conflicts on Agriculture: A Trio of Challenges to Global Food Security," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-22, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:10:p:8280-:d:1150761
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Jan Polcyn & Alexandru Stratan & Viorica Lopotenco, 2023. "Sustainable Agriculture’s Contribution to Quality of Life," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(23), pages 1-29, November.
    2. Loredana Gherasimescu & Florin Imbrea & Ilinca Imbrea & Laura Șmuleac & Raul Pașcalău & Cosmin Alin Popoescu & Piotr Prus & Cosmin Sălășan, 2023. "The Impact of COVID-19 Lockdown on West Romanian Crop Production in 2020," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-17, September.

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