Adverse impacts of climate change on food production and security

Despite sustained global improvement in last years, global hunger and food security remain far above targets set by 2030 agenda in 2025. Estimated 645 million people faced hunger in 2025. Healthy diets are not affordable for about 2.7 billion people worldwide. FAO describes hunger as an uncomfortable or painful physical sensation caused by insufficient consumption of dietary energy. It may become chronic when a person does not consume sufficient number of calories regularly to lead an active and healthy life. A person can be in food insecure category when he has not regular access to nutritious food for normal growth and development. In children under-nutrition can cause stunting and wasting. Stunting is insufficient height for a child’s age, while wasting is insufficient weight for child’s height.

While the 2025 Edition of the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World shows decreas of hunger, in 2024 on 15 million and on in 2023 on 22 million, which encourages, the latest estimates remain above pre-pandemic levels and the progress is uneven. Improvements were observed in southern Asia and Latin America. In contract hunger has risen across Africa and Western Asia. Ongoing conflicts and crises worldwide continue to create uncertainty and slowing recovery.

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are in foremost of biotechnology investigations in agriculture. By introducing specific gens into crops, scientists developed plants that are more resistant to pests’ diseases and environmental stressors such as drought and salinity Genetically modified cotton was widely adopted in India and other countries to reduce pesticide use and increase yields. Modified corn, soybeans and rice have been engineered to improve yields and withstand growing conditions. These innovations improved food security by increasing agricultural productivity and reducing reliance on chemical inputs. The challenges facing food and nutrition, together with socio-economic and environmental implications are multifaced complex. Biotechnology offers promising solutions to improve agricultural productivity, enhancing the nutrient content of food and promoting sustainability. It helps to create more resilient and sustainable food system, the food system that meets the needs of growing global population and at the same time mitigating the socio-economic and environmental impacts of current food and nutrition challenges.

Dr. Tamaz Patarkalashvili is a researcher at the Technical University of Georgia, Center for Studying Productive Forces and Natural Resources of Georgia, where he has been working since 1980. He holds an M.Sc. from the Agricultural University of Georgia, Faculty of Forestry (1962–1967), an M.Ed. in English Language from the Tbilisi Institute of Foreign Languages (1976–1980), and a Ph.D. (1979). He began his professional career as an Engineer with the Ministry of Forestry of Georgia (1968–1970), followed by postgraduate studies at the Tbilisi Institute of Forest (1970–1973). From 1973 to 1980, he served as a Junior and subsequently Senior Researcher at the Tbilisi Forest Institute. He is the author of 136 manuscripts and serves as a research leader at the Technical University of Georgia. He is also an Editorial Board Member and Reviewer for more than ten international journals. His research interests include sustainable management of mountain forests, the causes and drivers of deforestation and forest degradation, plant biodiversity and endangered species, and ecological and climate change issues.