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That is one of the conclusions of a study led by Heather Randell, assistant professor of rural sociology and demography in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences. She said the findings have implications for Nepal -- one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world -- and for countries around the globe, given the increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events due to climate change.
"While many studies have examined how individual natural disasters or adverse weather events impact crop production and food security, little is known about the effects of exposure to multiple events in close succession," Randell said. "The knowledge gained from this study can serve as a platform to create adaptation strategies that will improve global health and promote sustainable development."
Randell, who began the study as a postdoctoral scholar at the University of Maryland, explained that climate change leads to an increased risk of multiple environmental hazards occurring within a short timeframe. These combined stressors, called compound events, present unique challenges, given that the first hazard may undermine a household's or community's ability to withstand subsequent hazards.
Nepal, a landlocked country in South Asia, experiences high rates of poverty and food insecurity. Thirty-six percent of Nepali children under the age of 5 years suffer from chronic malnutrition, per U.S. Agency for International Development statistics.
The country's economy is heavily dependent on agriculture, with monsoon rainfall -- a weather phenomenon that brings rain to the region between June and September -- playing a critical role in agricultural production, Randell pointed out. When the monsoon begins later than usual or when rainfall is below normal, agricultural production can suffer, affecting food security.
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