Food, climate, and the mind: Food (in)security and climate resilience as social determinants of mental health

One in eight individuals globally suffers from mental health challenges. Smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly those reliant on rainfed agriculture, are especially vulnerable due to mounting ecological stress and socio-economic instability. Despite this, limited evidence exists on how food insecurity and climate change resilience (resilience), both independently and jointly, impact their mental health. Guided by the Social Determinants of Mental Health (SDMH) framework, this study explores these associations in the context of northern Ghana. We used cross-sectional survey data (n = 1,033) and applied ordered logistic regression techniques. Findings show that food insecurity (OR = 4.8, p < 0.001, CI: 2.9–7.9) and poor resilience (OR = 3.6, p < 0.001, CI: 2.1–6.3) were significantly associated with poor mental health. Given the potential connections between resilience and food insecurity, we interacted the two variables to examine their effects on mental health. Remarkably, their interaction further increased the risk of poor mental health (OR = 1.5, p < 0.001, CI: 1.4–1.6). Exposure to climatic stressors, including droughts (OR = 5.6, p < 0.001, CI: 3.2–9.6) and floods (OR = 2.0, p < 0.001, CI: 1.1–3.6), was linked to poor mental health. Additional risk factors included older age, higher education, marriage, and debt. Protective factors included remittances and joint decision-making. Food insecurity and poor resilience significantly and interactively contribute to smallholders’ poor mental health. Integrated policy interventions that enhance food security, reinforce adaptive resilience, and incorporate psychosocial support into agricultural and climate programs are urgently needed to protect smallholders’ mental well-being in climate-vulnerable regions.