Food security and livelihoods under a changing climate in Mozambique: preparing for the future

Mozambique’s climate is characterized by relatively uniform temperatures across the country and a north-south rainfall gradient which results in higher more reliable rainfall amounts in the North, and lower more variable rainfall amounts in the South Historical climate analysis for the country shows that temperatures are already increasing and rainfall trends are dominated by year-to-year variability. Livelihoods and agricultural production systems are already being affected by the changing and more variable climate. Climate projections for the 2050s show strong agreement for an increase in temperature, but no strong trend for changes in rainfall. All scenarios of projected climate change will result in increased heat stress, reductions in water availability, and more frequent and intense extreme weather events, which could exacerbate food insecurity in the absence of adaptation.