Climate Change Resilient Crops to Combat Food and Nutrition Insecurity in Marginal Lands

Food security and environmental conservation are crucial worldwide issues, especially given climate change’s uncertainty. The food system still deals with increased food production demand and dietary changes driven by population expansion and increasing environmental concerns. Climate change has far-reaching implications for global food security, and its effects on soil fertility, water scarcity, severe temperatures, carbon sequestration, microbial activity, and food production have already had a considerable impact on agricultural productivity worldwide. Significant modifications in food production, distribution, and consumption patterns are required to adapt to climate change and ensure global food security. As a result, excess food must come from marginal lands unsuitable for growing key staple crops under the worst-case climate change scenario. Underutilized neglected crops are promising for improving food and nutritional security because of their high nutritional profile and better tolerance to numerous abiotic stressors. This book chapter thoroughly discusses climate change and its effects on agricultural products, food and nutrition insecurity, and the necessity for expanding people to adapt to shifting climatic circumstances. Identify the critical success factors and issues that must be addressed to attain extensive adoption of climate change resilient crops using underutilized, neglected crops to alleviate food poverty and ensure appropriate nutrition on marginal lands.