The Climate Change–Food System Nexus and Impact on Children in Zimbabwe: Toward Social Policy Interventions for Sustainable Futures

Climate change is a significant long-term threat to Zimbabwe’s socio-economic development, with its effects being acutely felt across critical sectors like agriculture, water resources, and public health. Existing literature tends to assume that population groups are affected evenly. This assumption is problematic, considering that categories such as children are more vulnerable, particularly due to their unique physical and developmental vulnerabilities and their socio-economic dependence on adults and stable systems. This area, thus, necessitates investigation. In closing this literature and knowledge gap, this chapter (1) explores climate change trends in Zimbabwe, (2) identifies the conduits through which the impact of climate change affects food systems and children in Zimbabwe, and (3) investigates potential and ongoing social-policy-based interventions to mitigate the impact of climate change on food systems and children in Zimbabwe. A scoping review shows that climate change extreme events affect food systems, from production to consumption, thereby forcing families to resort to desperate and unsafe adaptation strategies, which include child labour exploitation and forcing them into early marriages. In addition, climate change affects children through health challenges related to food shortages. It also shows several social-policy-based measures the government and its partners are implementing to reduce the impact on children. The chapter also proposes policies that can help fast-track and strengthen existing interventions.