Muhammad Abubakar1, Alishba Iqbal2
1Plant Breeding and Genetics, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan; 2Faculty of Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
*Corresponding author: muhammadabubakar36665@gmail.com
Climate change continues to disrupt global food systems, threatening the four fundamental pillars of food security: availability, access, utilization, and stability. This review synthesizes global evidence and situates Nigeria as a case study where climate stress intersects with poverty, conflict, and ecological fragility. In Nigeria, desertification in the north and recurrent flooding in the south have severely constrained agricultural productivity, displacing communities and heightening food insecurity. Vulnerable groups including women, children, and smallholder farmers face disproportionate risks due to limited adaptive capacity, exacerbated further by water scarcity, declining nutrition, and heightened health risks linked to climate-induced food contamination and disease. Addressing these challenges requires integrated adaptation strategies such as climate-smart agricultural practices, improved irrigation systems, early warning and digital climate services, and inclusive social protection mechanisms. Equally critical are policy reforms and multi-sectoral collaboration to ensure long-term resilience. By embedding Nigeria’s experience within the broader global context, this review highlights pathways for building equitable, climate-resilient, and sustainable food systems.