ThePotentialImpactofClimateChangeonthe Micronutrient-RichFoodSupply

Abstract

Micronutrient deficiencies are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in low- and middle-income countries worldwide. Climate change, characterized by increasing global surface temperatures and alterations in rainfall, has the capacity to affect the quality and accessibility of micronutrient-rich foods. The goals of this review are to summarize the potential effects of climate change and its consequences on agricultural yieldandmicronutrientquality,primarilyzinc,iron,andvitaminA,ofplantfoodsandupontheavailabilityofanimalfoods,todiscusstheimplications for micronutrient deficiencies in the future, and to present possible mitigation and adaptive strategies. In general, the combination of increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide and rising temperature is predicted to reduce the overall yield of major staple crops, fruits, vegetables, and nuts, morethanalteringtheirmicronutrientcontent.Cropyieldisalsoreducedbyelevatedground-levelozoneandincreasedextremeweatherevents. Pollinatorlossisexpectedtoreducetheyieldofmanypollinator-dependentcropssuchasfruits,vegetables,andnuts.Sea-levelriseresultingfrom melting of ice sheets and glaciers is predicted to result in coastal inundation, salt intrusion, and loss of coral reefs and mangrove forests, with an adverse impact upon coastal rice production and coastal fisheries. Global ocean fisheries catch is predicted to decline because of ocean warming anddecliningoxygen.Freshwaterwarmingisalsoexpectedtoalterecosystemsandreduceinlandfisheriescatch.Inadditiontolimitinggreenhouse gas production, adaptive strategies include postharvest fortification of foods; micronutrient supplementation; biofortification of staple crops with zincandiron;plantbreedingorgeneticapproachestoincreasezinc,iron,andprovitaminAcarotenoidcontentofplantfoods;anddevelopingstaple cropsthataretolerantofabioticstressorssuchaselevatedcarbondioxide,elevatedtemperature,andincreasedsoilsalinity