Sujit Saleepan ,Nutrition Division ,MOPH ,Thailand

Nutrition Security in South East Asia:potential impact of climate change

Sujit Saleepan ,Nutrition Division ,MOPH ,Thailand

The World Food Summit in 1996 defined food security as a situation in which “all people, at all times, have access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life”.

This definition goes beyond mere availability and access to food and includes a whole lot of prerequisites to promote optimal absorption and utilisation of food including healthy environment, and good eating practices. This definition also defined the link between food, nutrition and health.

Food and Nutrition Security

Many countries use the term ‘nutrition security’ to denote this broader concept.

Climate change impacts all aspects of food security

Food availability: production, imports, aidFood stability: seasonal fluctuations, stocksFood access: prices, purchasing powerFood utilization: food safety, quality, nutrition

Impact on nutritional quality of food

Reduced protein content in wheat (9-13%)

Less iron content in wheat (8%)Higher lead content in wheat (14%)

Food and nutrition securityFAO has advocated the ‘AAA’ approach to analyse food security –Availability (production factors, i.e. agricultural production, its determinants and availability to households);Access (household and individual’s access to food, hunger and factors determining it, i.e. poverty and literacy levels, vulnerability of populations); andAbsorption (ability to absorb food - health conditions, availability of potable water and sanitation).

Under-nutrition in pre-school children

In spite of the fact that South East Asia is self-sufficient in food production and relatively low poverty ratios, stunting and underweight rates in South Asia is very high – higher than SE Asia and equal to Sub-Saharan Africa so called South Asian Enigma.

Underweight Wasting Stunting

Bangladesh 46 16 36

Bhutan 19 3 40

India 46 19 38

Maldives 30 13 25

Nepal 45 12 43

Sri Lanka 29 14 14

Thailand 9 4 12

Infant and young child feeding habits

Breast feeding is nearly universal in the region. Nearly half the infants are not EBF upto 6 mth or given complementary feeds at 6mth. Poor IYCF aggravate under-nutrition in children. Climate change will not affect IYCF. Correction of IYCF can improve under-nutrition in children.

Exclusively breastfed

complementary food + BM

Still breastfeeding at

< 6 months 6-9 months 20-23 months

Bangladesh 37 52 89

Bhutan - - -

India 46 57 77

Maldives 10 85 -

Nepal 53 75 95

Sri Lanka 53 - 73

Thailand 5 43 19

% Population with HIV/AIDS

In most South Asian countries prevalence of HIV infection is low; but number of persons with HIV related nutrition problems is large. Contribution of HIV to under-nutrition is low. Climate change will not affect HIV prevalence or UN.

Countries Adult (15-41) Youth (15-24)

Males Females Males Females

Bangladesh - - - -

Bhutan - 0.1 0.1 <0.1

India 0.5 0.3 0.3 0.3

Maldives - - - -

Nepal 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.3

Sri Lanka - - <0.1 -

Thailand 1.7 1.4 1.2 1.2

Adequate food production (food grains) to prevent hunger and under-nutrition: relatively easy because this is a region self sufficient in food grain production.

Adequate production of vegetables through horticultural intervention to ensure dietary diversity is essential for prevention of micronutrient deficiencies: this area requires increasing attention.

Fortification of salt with iodine and iron will help in sustainable improvement in iron and iodine status.

Interventions needed to improve nutrition security during the era of climate change

If all the countries focus and work intensively, it might be possible for the SE Asian countries to achieve nutrition security in spite of the existing problems and emerging problem of climate change.