Harvesting wild fruits is essential to reaching several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), such as directly related to food systems, including responsible consumption and production (SDG 12), good health and wellbeing (SDG 3), zero hunger (SDG 2) and no poverty (SDG 1). However, climate change poses significant threats to these resources by altering their distribution, abundance and quality, therefore jeopardising nutrition and food security, especially for disadvantaged communities. Despite the importance of wild foods, little is known about how climate change affects these resources and effective strategies to enhance climate resilience. This chapter addresses this research and knowledge gap through a systematic review of peer-reviewed academic articles. The findings indicate a general decline in the availability and quality of wild food species due to a changing climate, with many species projected to lose significant portions of their habitat. This decline threatens food security for communities that rely on wild foods as a primary nutritional source. Based on the findings, several recommendations for policy, practice and theory are proposed. Policymakers should prioritise the integration of wild food conservation into climate adaptation strategies. Practitioners are encouraged to engage local communities in sustainable harvesting practices that preserve biodiversity. Additionally, theoretical frameworks should incorporate the resilience of wild food systems in response to a changing climate, emphasising the need for adaptive management strategies that consider both scientific research and indigenous knowledge systems.

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Impact of Climate Change on African Food Systems: A Systematic Review Incorporating Strategies for Enhancing Sustainable Wild Food Utilisation

  • Gideon Walter Mutanda

摘要

Harvesting wild fruits is essential to reaching several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), such as directly related to food systems, including responsible consumption and production (SDG 12), good health and wellbeing (SDG 3), zero hunger (SDG 2) and no poverty (SDG 1). However, climate change poses significant threats to these resources by altering their distribution, abundance and quality, therefore jeopardising nutrition and food security, especially for disadvantaged communities. Despite the importance of wild foods, little is known about how climate change affects these resources and effective strategies to enhance climate resilience. This chapter addresses this research and knowledge gap through a systematic review of peer-reviewed academic articles. The findings indicate a general decline in the availability and quality of wild food species due to a changing climate, with many species projected to lose significant portions of their habitat. This decline threatens food security for communities that rely on wild foods as a primary nutritional source. Based on the findings, several recommendations for policy, practice and theory are proposed. Policymakers should prioritise the integration of wild food conservation into climate adaptation strategies. Practitioners are encouraged to engage local communities in sustainable harvesting practices that preserve biodiversity. Additionally, theoretical frameworks should incorporate the resilience of wild food systems in response to a changing climate, emphasising the need for adaptive management strategies that consider both scientific research and indigenous knowledge systems.