“Enhancing Food Security amid Environmental Changes: Insights from Lake Malawi’s Aquatic Conditions” by Heather Randell et al. (2025)

Food insecurity is a big challenge to global health and development. Almost 30% of people around the world face moderate or severe food insecurity, and the situation has worsened in recent years. One key factor is environmental change. Rising temperatures, extreme weather, and changes in land use all threaten food production. An important but often overlooked factor is how these changes affect water conditions and fisheries.

Take Malawi, for example. This country relies heavily on fish for food and has high levels of food insecurity. Our research looks at how changing conditions in Lake Malawi impact food security for families living nearby. We used data from national household surveys collected between 2010 and 2020, along with satellite data on lake temperature and chlorophyll levels.

We discovered that when lake temperatures are warmer than average, food security indicators drop. This includes lower scores for food consumption, less reported food adequacy, and reduced intake of dried fish and animal protein over the past week.

These findings highlight the critical connection between environmental changes, aquatic health, and food security. Understanding these links is vital for creating policies aimed at reducing food insecurity, especially in communities that depend on fishing.