When we discuss climate change, it is easy to think first about rising temperatures, floods or extreme weather. But there is another question that affects every household: What happens to the food on our plates when the climate changes?
During Environmental Health Science training at Kwara State University (KWASU), we were taught to look beyond individual diseases and examine the environmental conditions that influence human health. The lessons of late Professor Henry Sawyer also reinforced the importance of understanding how environmental factors connect with everyday community health. Agriculture is one of those connections. What happens in the soil, on farms and around water sources eventually affects what people eat, how much food costs and whether nutritious food is available.
Climate change is changing the conditions for farming
Agriculture depends heavily on predictable rainfall, suitable temperatures, healthy soils and reliable water. Climate change makes these conditions increasingly uncertain.
Nigeria has several agricultural zones, from the wetter southern areas to the drier northern regions. Farmers produce crops such as cassava, yam, maize, rice, sorghum, millet and cowpea, alongside livestock, fisheries and other agricultural activities. Agriculture remains a major part of Nigeria’s economy and livelihoods. FAO reports that between 2021 and 2024, agriculture contributed about 28% of GDP and employed approximately 40% of the country’s labour force.
This means that climate-related agricultural losses are not only a problem for farmers. They can affect food supplies, household income, employment and the cost of food.
When rainfall becomes unpredictable
One of the biggest challenges is changing rainfall.
Farmers depend on the timing, duration and amount of rainfall to determine when to plant and how crops will develop. A delayed rainy season can postpone planting, while a prolonged dry period can leave crops without enough moisture. Heavy rainfall can also damage crops, wash away soil and flood farms.
FAO’s analysis of Nigeria’s agricultural situation has identified dry spells, floods and pest outbreaks among factors that have affected crop yields. In its 2025 country brief, FAO reported that Nigeria’s 2024 cereal production was estimated at about 3% below the five-year average, with yields affected by dry spells and floods among other pressures.
The problem therefore is not simply too little rain. Sometimes the problem is too much rain arriving at the wrong time.
Heat affects crops, livestock and farmers
Temperature is another important factor.
Plants have temperature ranges within which they grow effectively. Excessive heat can increase water requirements, affect flowering and reduce yields in crops that are sensitive to high temperatures. Livestock can also experience heat stress, affecting their health, productivity and reproduction.
FAO identifies extreme heat as an increasingly important threat to agriculture and food security, noting that rising temperatures and heatwaves can disrupt crop yields, livestock health, water availability and rural livelihoods.
The farmer is also part of this equation. Farming is physical work, often performed outdoors. As temperatures rise, farmers may face greater heat exposure while trying to maintain production.
From an Environmental Health perspective, protecting agricultural workers from excessive heat is therefore connected to protecting the food system itself.
Climate change can affect the price of food
When crops are damaged, the effects can move through the entire food chain.
Imagine a farmer whose maize harvest is reduced by drought. The available supply may fall. Traders may then pay more for the remaining produce, transport costs may increase and consumers may eventually encounter higher prices.
Recent World Bank analysis found that partial crop losses in Nigeria increased from about 6% of plots in 2018/19 to more than 20% in 2023/24, with climate shocks, environmental stress and insecurity identified among the contributing pressures.
Food prices are influenced by many factors, so climate change should not be presented as the sole explanation for rising prices. Conflict, inflation, transportation, input costs, market conditions and other economic pressures also matter. However, climate-related production losses can add another pressure to an already vulnerable food system.
Floods can destroy more than crops
Flooding presents a different agricultural challenge.
Floodwater can submerge farms, destroy crops, damage farm infrastructure and disrupt transportation. When roads become inaccessible, getting agricultural products from farms to markets can also become more difficult.
The consequences can continue after the water disappears. Floods may damage stored food, contaminate water sources and increase conditions favourable to certain pests and diseases.
In October 2024, FAO reported that floods affected more than 9.2 million people in Nigeria and submerged approximately 4.5 million hectares of land, including about 1.6 million hectares of farmland. Its analysis estimated potential annual production losses of about 1.1 million tonnes for maize, sorghum and rice combined in the flooded areas.
This demonstrates why flood management is also a food-security issue.
Climate change can affect nutrition
Food security is not simply about having food available. People also need safe, nutritious and affordable food.
If climate shocks reduce the availability of particular crops, households may change what they eat because preferred foods become too expensive or difficult to obtain. Poorer households can be especially vulnerable because a larger proportion of their income may already be spent on food.
FAO describes climate change, food insecurity and nutrition as interconnected challenges. In Nigeria, current food insecurity is driven by several factors, including conflict, economic pressures and climate variability.
Therefore, climate resilience should include not only producing more food but ensuring that communities can continue to access diverse and nutritious diets.
What can Nigeria do?
Climate change does not mean agriculture has no future. It means agricultural systems need to become more resilient.
Some important approaches include:
- Climate-smart farming: using agricultural practices suited to changing climate conditions.
- Improved irrigation: reducing excessive dependence on unpredictable rainfall.
- Drought- and heat-tolerant crops: selecting varieties that can withstand environmental stress.
- Better soil management: protecting soil moisture and reducing degradation.
- Early-warning systems: giving farmers timely information about floods, droughts and extreme weather.
- Improved storage: reducing post-harvest losses.
- Diversification: combining crops, livestock, fisheries and other livelihoods where appropriate.
- Access to agricultural information and finance: helping farmers adopt resilient technologies and practices.
At a national level, Nigeria is increasingly linking climate action with food-system transformation. In July 2026, government and development partners held a high-level agrifood systems and climate workshop focused on building more resilient and sustainable food systems. Proposed approaches included drought-tolerant crops, climate-smart agriculture, sustainable natural-resource management, stronger value chains and improved financing.
The Environmental Health connection
Agriculture may appear to belong mainly to agricultural professionals, but Environmental Health has an important role.
Environmental Health professionals are concerned with the conditions that influence human health. Climate-related changes in agriculture can affect water quality, sanitation, food safety, nutrition, occupational health and the spread of disease.
This is why climate change should not be treated as a distant environmental topic. It is also a food, health and community-development issue.
From the farmer producing the crop, to the transporter moving it, the vendor selling it and the family preparing it, climate conditions can influence the entire journey from farm to plate.
Conclusion
Climate change is changing the environment in which Nigeria produces food. Unpredictable rainfall, drought, extreme heat, floods, land degradation and other climate-related pressures can reduce agricultural productivity and place additional pressure on food availability and affordability.
But the situation is not hopeless. Building resilient agriculture requires cooperation between farmers, environmental health professionals, agricultural experts, communities, researchers, government and the private sector.
The goal should not simply be to produce food today. It should be to build a food system capable of feeding Nigerians safely and sustainably in a changing climate.
References
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). (2026). Nigeria Advances Agrifood Systems and Climate Action Convergence to Accelerate Food Security, Resilience and Sustainable Development.
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). (2026). Nigeria at a Glance.
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). (2025). FAO GIEWS Country Brief on Nigeria.
- World Bank. (2026). From Loss to Resilience in Nigeria: Turning a Growing Agricultural Challenge into Action.
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). (2026). Climate Action.
