How climate change harms food and health in developing countries?

What is it about?

Climate change is no longer a distant threat—it is already affecting how we grow food and how healthy people are, especially in developing countries. Our research looked at 20 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Europe to better understand how changes in temperature, rainfall, and carbon emissions are influencing agriculture and human health between 2000 and 2020. We found that when carbon emissions rise, food production often decreases, and more children under the age of five suffer from stunted growth, a sign of poor nutrition. This is worrying because even though some crops may temporarily grow faster in warmer conditions or with more carbon dioxide, the long-term effects are negative and hit the most vulnerable populations hardest. What makes our study different is that we didn’t just look at these problems in isolation. Instead, we used a method that allowed us to see how climate, food systems, and health are all connected over time. We also considered how different countries respond based on their resources, infrastructure, and farming systems. One important finding is that even countries with high food production can still have high levels of child malnutrition. This means that improving food supply alone is not enough. Policies also need to focus on health, equity, and climate adaptation. In simple terms, our study shows that climate change is making it harder for many countries to feed their people and keep them healthy. But it also shows that with the right strategies—such as boosting crop yields, managing emissions, and strengthening health systems—we can build more resilient societies that are better prepared for future climate challenges.

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Photo by NOAA on Unsplash

Photo by NOAA on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Our study is one of the first to explore, in an integrated way, how climate change affects both food production and human health outcomes—specifically child malnutrition—across multiple developing countries over 20 years. While most previous research focused on individual countries or short timeframes, we use a Panel ARDL model that allows us to capture both short-term shocks (like droughts or heatwaves) and long-term trends (such as rising CO₂ emissions and chronic food insecurity). This method also enables us to understand how climate impacts differ depending on a country’s development level, farming systems, and infrastructure. What’s particularly timely is that we show a strong link between carbon emissions and poor child health, even in countries with growing food production. This challenges the assumption that more food always leads to better nutrition and highlights how climate inequality and food access are critical parts of the conversation. As climate impacts intensify, our findings come at a crucial moment. They provide evidence-based insights for designing joined-up policies that simultaneously tackle climate risks, boost agricultural resilience, and strengthen public health systems. This kind of cross-sector evidence is urgently needed as countries strive to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) under worsening climate conditions. By revealing the hidden connections between emissions, agriculture, and child health, our work helps shift the conversation from isolated policy solutions to integrated, long-term strategies that can make a real difference for millions of people.

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