Dietary diversity is important especially for children in order to provide the essential nutrients including micronutrients for growth. However, until now, there is very little empirical research and evidence to demonstrate the relationship between dietary diversity and climate change. In a paper published in Environmental Research Letters in January 2021, the authors found that warming temperatures and increasing rainfall variability have profound short- and long-term impacts on children's dietary diversity, potentially undermining development interventions towards improving food security. 

JIRCAS is pursuing a research project to evaluate the current situation of agricultural production, food consumption, and nutrient supply.  A foresight model of global supply-demand is constructed considering various factors such as effect of climate change, change of crop acreage, technological innovation, and socioeconomic characteristics in order to predict the future global food supply-demand.

Reference

Niles MT et al. Climate impacts associated with reduced diet diversity in children across nineteen countries. Environ. Res. Lett. 16 015010. https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/abd0ab

Contributors: SHIRATORI Sakiko and IIYAMA Miyuki (Research Strategy Office)