Nexus between heat wave, food security and human health (HFH): Developing a framework for livelihood resilience in Bangladesh

Abstract

Bangladesh has been severely affected by the extreme heatwave that is affecting most of Asia. Extreme climate events, particularly heatwave impacts on the food system, pose risks to human health in Bangladesh, explicitly in the north-west part of the country. The association between the heatwave, food security and health are narrowly described in the existing literature, resulting in a research lacuna related diverse component of food system that are particularly vulnerable to the heatwave. The current study therefore aims to develop a framework for understanding the nexus between heatwave, food security, and human health, which will ultimately help to improve livelihood resilience in Bangladesh. A comprehensive literature review was conducted to examine the link between heat waves, food security including human health (HFH) to explore the vulnerabilities in the food system in Rajshahi, Bangladesh. Additionally, the current study conducted a case study on the tribal community (e.g., Santals) of Rajshahi to understand heatwave, food security and health nexus. There is evidence that critical activities in the food system are prone to risk to heat waves. It is complex how heatwaves propagate along the food system and impact elucidative dimensions of food security to impact human health impacts. Different types of disruption related to heatwave can indirectly affect human health by compromising food security, a critical factor of health. The case study of the current investigation reveals that human health can also be affected by the physical impact of the heat wave on the food system, particularly with regard to diet-related impacts and food-borne diseases within the tribal community. In the study, we propose to offer a novel analytical framework to examine and respond to the relationship between heat waves, food security and human health. The investigation provide a benchmark to policymakers, academia, and relevant stakeholders to examine and understand current and future heatwave risks and to develop adaptation strategies to build livelihood resilience in Bangladesh explicitly for tribal community.

Keywords

• Food system
• Human health resilience
• Climate change
• Santals
• Vulnerabilities
• Food-borne diseases