EFFECT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF FOOD

Climate change has a very significant impact on food nutrition and value, as it affects plant growth and the nutrient composition of crops. Increased levels of greenhouse gases cause temperatures to rise, inducing fluctuating rainfall patterns that disrupt the plant nutrient cycles and uptake. This affects the concentration of essential nutrients such as nitrogen, iron, and zinc in edible plant tissues. For instance, high concentrations of CO2 can enhance the growth of C3 plants, but quite often at the cost of lower nitrogen content and, hence, ultimately, protein levels. Moreover, nutritional quality is, to a great extent, determined by the interaction between climate-induced stressors—heat, drought, and salinity—and nutrient availability. Adaptation strategies include a selection of nutrient-rich varieties, improved farm management practices, and the use of microbial inoculants, which are all necessary to reduce those adverse impacts and to ascertain food security under changing climatic conditions.