Climate change is defined as “a change in climate that results directly or indirectly from human activities that alter the composition of the global atmosphere, in addition to natural climate variability observed over comparable time periods.” This concept has emerged as a global agenda item particularly since the 1990s, with the main factor driving climate change being the accelerated industrialization and increased energy use since the early 20th century.

It is widely recognized that climate change has negative impacts on the lives of all living beings due to the deteriorating global ecological system, and that this impact is increasingly felt, making it one of the major global issues. One of the most important areas affected by climate change is agricultural production. Changes in agricultural production and arable land significantly affect the global food supply. Along with other factors, changes in food production are expected to influence food prices in the future and limit the access of poor families and communities to adequate and nutritious food.

Numerous studies conducted at global and regional scales indicate that future climate changes will exacerbate the negative impacts on agriculture, water, and soil resources compared to the present. Earley notes that climate change will be felt worldwide but its effects will vary; studies show that regions at lower latitudes are negatively affected by global warming, while regions at higher latitudes may experience short-term positive effects on agricultural production. The IPCC Climate Change Report (2014a) lists the impacts of climate change on food security:

• Since the mid-20th century, climate change will cause the migration of marine life and reduce biodiversity, threatening the sustainability of seafood production.
• Temperature increases of 2°C or more in tropical and temperate regions compared to the late 20th century will negatively affect the production of barley, wheat, and millet.
• Global temperature increases of 4°C or more compared to the late 20th century, combined with rising food demand, will increase risks to global food security.
• Climate change will reduce renewable surface and groundwater resources in semi-arid subtropical regions, leading to increasing competition for water resources.