An Empirical Evaluation of Climate Change Effects on Food Insecurity: Evidence from Zaranj, Nimruz, Afghanistan

Reza Joia; Mohammad Reza Shojaei; Naseer Mukhlis; Rohullah Rasa

doi:10.62810/jnsr.v4i2.369

Authors

Reza Joia Nimruz University, Chemistry Department, Education Faculty, Zaranj , Afghanistan https://orcid.org/0009-0007-4862-9704
Mohammad Reza Shojaei Nimruz University, National Economy Department, Economic Faculty, Zaranj , Afghanistan
Naseer Mukhlis Nimruz University, Horticulture Department, Agriculture Faculty, Zaranj , Afghanistan
Rohullah Rasa Nimruz University, Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Nimruz University, Zaranj, Afghanistan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.62810/jnsr.v4i2.369

Keywords:

Climate change, Economic factors, Food insecurity, Nimruz Province, Political factors

Abstract

This study examines the impact of climate change on food insecurity among residents of Zaranj City, Nimruz Province, Afghanistan, using a descriptive–analytical approach. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire administered to 150 knowledgeable government employees in Nimruz Province. The questionnaire used in this study consists of three sections. The first section gathers personal information, the second includes Likert-scale questions, and the third contains open-ended questions that allow respondents to express their opinions. The quantitative data were analyzed using E-Views 9. The results reveal that climate change has a positive and statistically significant effect on food insecurity (β = 0.2575, p = 0.0001), indicating that increasing climate-related pressures contribute to higher levels of food insecurity. In contrast, political factors significantly reduce food insecurity (β = −0.1574, p = 0.0199), while economic factors show a marginally significant negative relationship (β = −0.1139, p = 0.0542). Qualitative findings highlight key adaptation and mitigation strategies, including improved water management, greenhouse expansion, afforestation, farmer training and support, regulation of food markets, and strengthened storage infrastructure. Overall, the findings emphasize the importance of integrated climate adaptation, agricultural support, and governance strategies in reducing food insecurity in climate-vulnerable regions. This study contributes to the growing body of evidence on climate-induced food insecurity in fragile settings and provides policy-relevant insights for improving food resilience in arid regions such as Nimruz Province.

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