Climate change and household food security in the Himalayas: A systematic review of the challenges and household adaptative measures

Abstract

Climate change profoundly impacts Himalayan communities, jeopardizing food security across all dimensions: availability, accessibility, utilization, and stability. However, existing literature lacks a comprehensive synthesis of these effects and adaptive measures. This study conducts a systematic review of literature sourced from Scopus and Web of Science and identifies the impacts of climate change on household food security and the adaptive measures employed by Himalayan households. The review identifies various impact pathways (48 studies), such as reduced crop productivity (79.2%), effects on livestock (39.6%), and disruptions in food supply chains (29.2%), all of which influence food availability. Accessibility is hindered by reduced income (64.6%) and climate-driven price hikes (18.8%). Utilization suffers from water and sanitation challenges (50%), increased pests (60.4%), and reduced food quality (16.7%). Stability is compromised by extreme events (56.3%), migration (27.1%), and human-wildlife conflicts (14.6%). Additionally, the review identified 30 adaptive measures implemented by the households (23 studies), primarily addressing availability (18 measures), with fewer focusing on accessibility (3 measures), utilization (5 measures), and stability (4 measures). Interventions like improving income stability, food affordability, water and sanitation infrastructure, climate-resilient agriculture, and developing strategies to mitigate the impacts of extreme weather events and human-wildlife conflicts will likely benefit household food security. The findings hold global significance for informing policies and practices in other vulnerable regions facing similar climatic challenges.