Provenance of Food Insecurity. A Critical Literature Review

Abstract

Purpose:  In particular, it affects crop production due to temperature and rainfall changes, and more extreme weather events. Erratic rainfall and temperatures are said to reduce crop yields through shortening growing seasons, exaggeration of water stress and promote invasion and intensity of weeds, pests and diseases. The overall objective of this study was to examine provenance of food insecurity.

Methodology: The paper used a desk study review methodology where relevant empirical literature was reviewed to identify main themes and to extract knowledge gaps.

Findings: This study concluded that the effects of rainfall and temperature adversely affect to maize and beans production in Africa. The effects are significant and positive for all crops. Generally, there is better correlation of production with precipitation than temperature. From the findings Pearson’s correlation showed positive correlation for crop yields against climate data except for minimum temperature that exhibited weak negative correlation for maize and no correlation for beans. This shows plainly that “business as usual” food grain growth is altered by changes in climate. These changes could alter growing seasons, planting and harvesting calendars or even invasion of pests, weeds and diseases.

Unique Contribution to Theory, Policy and Practice: This study recommended that adoption of other food grains that may do well under this current climatic condition. Crops such as millet and sorghum are encouraged due to their high tolerance to droughts, soil infertility and high temperatures. Households also to be guided on how to monitor crop-climate relationship so as to achieve improved crop production drought resistant modern seed varieties are very important to the population.