Climate Change Impacts on Household Food Security in Sri Lanka’s Dry Zones: A Qualitative Analysis

Abstract

Climate change is a substantial threat to worldwide food security, affecting the supply, stability, accessibility, and quality of food. This study aimed to explore the impact of climate change on household food security of farming communities in dry zones in Sri Lanka, focusing on water resource limitations and agricultural productivity, using a qualitative case study method with 13 cases. The impact of climate change on farming and food security was identified under the key themes of food production and yield, income and economic stability, water resources and management, food availability and access, nutrition quality, and dietary diversity. The findings revealed that climate change can indirectly affect food security by impacting household and personal incomes. It also influences health, access to clean water, and the ability to utilize food effectively. Such climatic changes significantly impact household food security and distinctly affect nutrition quality and dietary diversity, which are identifiable as the primary food security elements. This study suggests moving other income sources to enhance the economic stability of farming households, adopting new farming techniques, organizing government assistance programs, and establishing social safety nets such as food aid programs and financial support for affected households. Such activities will help to address the decline of yield production that is caused by climate change, and will mitigate the effect that climate change has on household food security. It further emphasizes the need to combine modern policy interventions and the existing domestic adaptation framework. This investigation employs a qualitative research method to explore how communities experience actual climate change effects, including water issues and farm failures. It effectively captures and contributes detailed knowledge to the current research on this subject.

1. Introduction

One of the most pressing challenges of 21st century is the rapid increase in climate conditions that negatively affect global agricultural sectors. Climate plays a crucial role in crop and livestock production in developing regions, as farmers primarily rely on rain-fed agriculture [1,2]. Climate change also poses a global threat to food security, causing declining crop yields and reduced food availability—which is exacerbated by household food insecurity—and altering crop yields, water supplies, and farming systems [3]. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) defines climate change as a persistent change in climate properties over decades or longer, affecting human life on Earth. It is primarily defined as a rise in global temperatures, thus altering climatic patterns like floods, droughts, and El Niño and La Niña events, and it has become a global research topic due to its adverse impact [2,4].

The leading cause of climate change is the vast release of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. This is primarily driven by the rapid advancement of global output using environmentally unsustainable methods, i.e., burning fossil fuels, industrial processes, deforestation, and modern agricultural practices such as precision agriculture, biotechnology and genetically modified crops, the excessive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, large-scale livestock production, and unsustainable irrigation practices. The impacts of climate change on human life are primarily grounded in empirical research, and the severe threat to the lives of marginalized groups and low-income communities is well-documented. Specifically, the reduction in agricultural production and the worsened food security status among marginalized and vulnerable communities in different regions have been discussed in depth [5,6]. Furthermore, the global climate crisis also has a significant impact on ecosystems, economies, and communities, necessitating urgent attention to enhance resilience and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change through adaptation strategies. Understanding these effects aids in devising adaptive strategies and guiding policies for enhancing resilience, food security, and sustainable agricultural practices.

Sri Lanka, a tropical island, is extremely vulnerable to climate change due to its high temperature, unique and complex hydrological systems, and susceptibility to extreme climate events [7]. The 2021 INFORM Risk Index ranks Sri Lanka 89th out of 191 nations, highlighting its high catastrophe risk from climate-induced hazards [8]. The country experiences elevated risks from tsunamis, cyclones, and various types of floods, including riverine and flash floods, while drought poses a moderate risk. Overall, heatwaves, droughts, floods, cyclones, and coastal erosion are significant natural hazards of the country, which are induced by direct and indirect consequences of climate change that profoundly impact the agriculture, livestock, and fishing sectors. The overall effects of climate change can be categorized into the following three broad groups, i.e., rapid impacts, slow-onset impacts, and extreme weather events [9].

Sri Lanka’s distinct geographical and climate characteristics further influence the country’s climate change vulnerability. As a tropical island, the country experiences minimal annual temperature variations due to its latitude; however, the regional temperature varies with altitude changes. For instance, the average annual temperatures in lowland areas range between 26.5 °C and 28.5 °C and gradually decrease with altitude [10]. The moderate climate in each local geographical area is primarily influenced by variations in precipitation, as there is minimal seasonal temperature fluctuation. Despite this regional diversity, Sri Lanka is among the world‘s hottest countries, with temperatures rising by approximately 0.8 °C over the 20th century [11]. The daily maximum temperature in Sri Lanka’s capital city, Colombo, averages around 31 °C year-round, with minimal monthly temperature variation, similar to the rest of the country [7].

Rainfall patterns also play a significant role in shaping Sri Lanka’s climate. The average annual rainfall in Sri Lanka varies from 900 mm in the driest areas to 5000 mm in the wettest areas [10], primarily driven by monsoonal cycles. El Niño and La Niña significantly impact the monsoon cycle in the Indian Ocean, which affects both the precipitation and temperature across the island [12]. During El Niño, the eastern Pacific warms excessively, weakening the Walker circulation, which causes sinking in the western Pacific and extends into the central Indian Ocean. This shift reduces the rainfall in Sri Lanka from July to August and January to March, while the northeastern monsoon brings relatively higher rainfall from October to December. El Niño events decrease the rainfall throughout Sri Lanka, with the greatest impact occuring during southwest monsoon season, which causes both droughts and elevated temperatures. The weather patterns during La Niña events bring more rain to Sri Lanka as the northeast monsoon season progresses, leading to flooding and milder atmospheric conditions in various parts of the country [13].

Sri Lanka, an island nation vulnerable to climate change, faces significant impacts across multiple sectors, with agriculture being one of the most climate-sensitive due to its reliance on stable weather patterns and natural resources [14]. The country is particularly vulnerable to climate change effects, experiencing a gradual increase in the atmospheric temperature. Additionally, it faces changes in precipitation patterns and an increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events such as floods, droughts, and winds [14]. Noticeable effects of these climate changes are observable in the dry zone of Sri Lanka [15]. The climate directly relates to crop yield and food security in the dry zone, where the promised annual rainfall does not last long, and the sun shines brightly for most of the year [16]. However, climate change affects food security by impacting the crop yield, food prices, food utility, and stability.

Conversely, while these climate changes negatively affect crop yields, particularly in low-latitude regions, some high-latitude areas have positive effects [1]. Thus, climate change detrimentally impacts agriculture and farming households [16].

Rain and temperature mainly influence crop production practices; hence, climate change can affect crop production [17]. These instabilities of rainfall also influence crop growth cycles and water conservation for this vital purpose, making it even more challenging [18]. Thus, these climate changes aggravate food scarcity around farm households and present a significant concern in the lives of farming families. They are vulnerable to frequent changes in climate and long periods of dry weather that lead to low crop yields and food supply issues that endanger household food security [1].

Food security is the social and economic access to food for adequate, safe, and nutritious food. The 1996 World Food Summit defines food security as “ensuring that people always have physical and economic access to adequate, safe, and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and preferences for an active, healthy life.” Food security has the following four dimensions: availability (production, stocking, and trade supply), access (household ability to obtain food), utilization (effective use of nutrients through proper food, care, and preparation), and stability (consistent over time). Thus, various coping strategies could be implemented, including early warning systems, shifting planting dates, irrigation with the new rain-fed network, and adopting appropriate crop variations to mitigate the impacts of climate change on food security. Moreover, [19] revealed that climate change would significantly affect food security, emphasizing the importance of coping strategies such as better crop varieties, crop diversification, and shifting the planting time.

Sri Lanka has an agriculture-based economy, where the population is highly dependent on agriculture and agriculture-related activities, particularly in the rural sector. The decline of agricultural production due to climate change would worsen the food security status of the farming communities, as the highest incidence of poverty is reported in the regions where agriculture is the household’s primary activity. Therefore, generating sustainable evidence for addressing the adverse impacts of climate change on the food security status of the farming communities in the country is of paramount importance. Consequently, the lives of the farming communities become vulnerable [20]. Therefore, it is necessary to use the best practices in adapting strategies to climatic changes and coping strategies to ensure the food security of farming households. The primary purpose of this study is to determine the impact of climate change on farming and household food security. Both academia and government policy departments gain beneficial recommendations through this qualitative research for strengthening community resilience among vulnerable populations. This research explores how climate changes have an impact on the yield production of farming commiunities and their household food security. Further, this qualitative research approach added detailed knowledge to current studies on communities’ experiences with climate change, including water issues and farm failures caused by the food security of farming households.

The rest of the paper is organized as follows: Section 2 defines the literature review, comprising climate challenge and food security; Section 3 explains the research methods of the qualitative research design, including data collection techniques, the participant selection process, and the analytical approach employed to explore the research questions; Section 4 consists of the results, including findings derived from the data, which are organized into themes that reflect the participants’ perspectives and experiences; Section 5 interprets the discussion with the findings in the context of the existing literature; Section 6 presents the policy recommendations; and, finally, the last section explains the conclusion and future research domains.

2. Literature Review

Agriculture heavily depends on environmental factors such as rainfall and temperature. Climate change poses severe challenges to global agricultural households, requiring them to adopt various strategies to mitigate its detrimental effects [16,21]. Changes in temperature, precipitation patterns, and the frequency and severity of extreme weather events are some key ways through which climate change impacts food production. Rising temperatures negatively impact crop yields, as evidenced by numerous studies. They reveal that increased temperatures may lower crop yields for staple foods like rice, wheat, and maize. Additionally, warmer temperatures extend the range and life cycle of many pests and pathogens [22]. Research [5] reports that crop pest damage is predicted to increase globally due to climate change, further endangering global food security. These food shortages and increased prices can reduce household access to affordable food, impacting food security in regions where households spend a significant portion of their income on food [23].

Further, studies show that access to climatic information affects household food security [24]. Changes in time frame aspects, duration, power, and location of rain change the growing seasons of crops and impact household food security [21]. Moreover, climate change exposure, stronger social networks, and socioeconomic factors such as farmer education and male-headed households favorably impact household food security [16]. Thus, as mentioned in the literature review, household food security is significantly influenced by rainfall, cultivated land, household head age, and family size, with rainfall patterns affecting agricultural productivity and cultivated land determining food production capabilities [21,24,25].

The study by Diallo (2020) reveals that factors such as household size, farming experience, livestock ownership, and technical training positively influence farmers to adjust planting dates as a strategy to establish food security [18]. Accordingly, farmers employ various coping strategies to ensure food security, some of which can impair population health, particularly for children. The study advocates for ongoing dialogue with local communities and farmers about climate change, including about reducing the effects of drought and dam development [25].

According to Abiodun et al., food security status is impacted by cropping strategies like increased crop variety, varying planting, reducing herd size, soil and water conservation, planting trees, applying organic fertilizer, and diversifying livelihoods. Further, climate change may disrupt food supply chains, impacting food availability and accessibility [24]. Unpredictable weather conditions may destroy infrastructure, challenging food transport to markets [26].

Thus, most farmers are implementing various cropping techniques in their farm management, including better use of crop varieties and improved livestock production. Implementing these strategies influences food security favorably, with farmers who use numerous strategies reaping a remarkable advantage [27]. Further, it found that implementing various adaptation measures, such as planting drought-tolerant crops, cultivating varied crops, and diversifying household income sources, can improve food security. Farm households employ various climate adaptation techniques, including growing drought-tolerant crops, shifting planting dates, diversifying crops, and improving income [27,28]. Many works have focused on the effects of climate change on the dry zone of Sri Lanka; however, a gap is still present when considering the impact of climate change on the food security of farming households in the dry zone, an area with a tropical environment. The existing literature has primarily focused on the macro-level economic and agricultural effects of climate change by relying on quantitative methods. Thus, by implementing a qualitative approach by considering the lived experiences of farming households, this study attempts to provide a more realistic and comprehensive understanding of household resilience concerning climate change.

3. Materials and Methods

Due to the status of investigating the research topic, the qualitative research approach was implemented based on a case study. This is a systematic approach aiming for an in-depth understanding of the behaviors and experiences of the context. According to [29,30], this approach is mainly used when standardized quantitative approaches are insufficient for measuring experiences and their underlying meaning. Being an island nation, the rain-fed and minor irrigation systems of Sri Lanka are more vulnerable to climate change, with a direct influence on food availability and access for households. Therefore, it is essential to identify how the particular coping strategies influence the food security status employed by households in Sri Lanka. Thus, the study adopted a qualitative approach to enhance comprehension of the research subject due to the nature of the problem. It also serves as the correct research approach because it enables researchers to evaluate household-level experiences and awareness of food insecurity problems stemming from climate change in the dry zone of Sri Lanka.

Coping strategies at the farm level for climate change and food security differ based on factors such as region, climate zone, and irrigation type. The study was conducted in the Mahaweli H zone of Sri Lanka, which has a high density of the village tank cascade system-based livelihood systems in the dry zone. As the interview method is a common technique used in data collection in study-based research, the primary data of this study were collected through in-depth interviews conducted with 13 households in the Mahaweli H zone. As a tropical environmental area, this region is highly vulnerable to climate variation, with prolonged droughts and unpredictable rainfall patterns, leading to a high diversity of economic and social concepts. There are also strategic reasons for choosing this location because it depends on farming and encounters regular difficulties with food security; hence, its findings directly link to global climate resilience research. The protection of key districts with agricultural dominance, combined with frequent natural food shortages, allowed the study to gain complete information about the issue.

Participants for the in-depth face-to-face interviews were selected using a purposive sampling technique. The research includes farmers who experienced firsthand climate effects on farming activities and food security, because this selection method has profound informational value. The sample included responses under the criteria of households in the dry zone of Sri Lanka that primarily engage in farming activities and have over two years of farming experience. The research interviews extended from 45 to 60 min to give participants the full opportunity to share their experiences and perceptions. The farmers with minimal experience, below two years, and households that do not directly engage in farming activities were excluded from the sample. The interview questions were built carefully through an examination of the literature, combined with research objectives. In-depth interviews were held using a well-developed and pre-tested interview guide, and all interviews were recorded and transcribed. All interviews were recorded and transcribed. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive and thematic interpretive analytical techniques. Data coading and thematic analysis were conducted using NVivo software (Release 1.0, 2020).

4. Results

The results and discussion section is organized into three main sections to present the key findings of the research. First, this section directs the sociodemographic profile of the sample. Second, it describes the effects of climate change on farming and household food security under the five main thematic areas. Finally, the discussion section interprets the research findings in regards to the existing literature.

4.1. Sociodemographic Profile of the Sample

The generalizability of the study heavily relies on understanding the sample’s demographic characteristics. The study involved 13 Sri Lankan farmers from the dry zone. Figure 1 summarizes their sociodemographic characteristics. Demographic data reveal the farmers’ social and economic context which influences their adoption of modern agricultural technologies and environmental adaptation based on their age, monthly income, and experience with farming activities.

Figure 1 demonstrates that most household heads are above 50 years of age. The majority of the farmers belonging to the age category of 51–70 are middle-aged. A significant portion, 31%, of farmers are young (30–50 years). Only 8% of farming households earn a monthly income below Rs. 50,000 (C10). Most household monthly incomes have recorded between Rs. 50,000 and Rs. 100,000. The highest monthly household income is around Rs. 150,000, highlighting the economic vulnerabilities of the selected sample. The profile shows that a significant proportion, 84%, of households has more than 20 years of experience with farming, except for the C1, C2, C4, and C7 farming households. The experienced farmers in the sample with an in-depth knowledge of traditional farming techniques and climate change patterns ensure the validity of the research data.

4.2. Effects of Climate Change on Farming and Household Food Security

The research results focused on the widespread and multifaceted effects of climate change on farming and household food security. The analysis of 13 cases identified the impacts of climate change on farming and food security under the following key themes: food production and yield, income and economic stability, water resources and management, food availability and access, and nutrition quality and dietary diversity (see

Table 1. Impact of Climate Change on Household Farming and Food Security.

Thematic Areas	C1	C2	C3	C4	C5	C6	C7	C8	C9	C10	C11	C12	C13
1. Declining crop yields due to unpredictable climate patterns	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*
2. Farming income instability among farm households	*	*	*	*	*	*		*	*	*		*	*
3. Strain water resources and management	*		*	*	*	*		*			*		*
4. Reduced food availability and increased hunger	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*		*
5. Deterioration of nutrition and dietary diversity		*	*	*			*	*	*	*		*
7. Other		*	*	*				*			*		*

Note: “*” indicates qualitative emphasis on the responses. Source: survey data, 2024

). Themes supplemented by particular instances and quotes from respondents provide an exhaustive overview of the concerns.

4.2.1. Declining Crop Yields Due to Unpredictable Climate Patterns

C1, C2, C3, C4, C5, C6, C7, C8, C9, C10, C11, C12, and C13 experienced declining crop yields due to unpredictable climate patterns in the region. Case study C1 states that “Our rice fields used to thrive, but now we can barely get half the yield we used to, even though we put in more effort” (C1). The cases revealed that yield reduction is due to multiple factors caused by unpredictable climate patterns. Notably, increased crop field vulnerability to drought or floods is reported due to deviation of rainfall patterns from the traditional rainy calendar in the area or changes in the severity of key weather parameters. According to C3 and C10, they experience uncertainty in the traditional rainy calendar practiced for decades in farming in the area. Notably, the deviation from the rainy calendar in the area makes the farmers unable to plan their farming activities, thus increasing their vulnerability to floods and drought. As one farmer says, “The timing of the rain is so unpredictable now that we sometimes lose our entire crop because it either floods or dries up” (C3); and, according to another, “Our cultivation seasons have changed now due to climate challenges” (C10).

The unpredictable climate pattern has reduced the different types of crops grown in a year. One farmer stated that “We used to grow multiple crops a year, but now we can manage only one due to the poor conditions” (C2). This indicates that farmers have to limit their farming activities to a certain period of the year, thus limiting their ability to optimize the utilization of their farmland. Escalating pest and disease issues in the croplands and soil quality degradation in the area are reported by C3, C4, and C5, indicating potential yield damage and challenges in maintaining the soil fertility in the field. The following quotations from the case studies demonstrate this fact: “Pests have become a bigger problem, and we are losing more crops to diseases than we had ever dealt with before” (C5); “The soil quality has deteriorated, making it harder to grow the same amount of produce as before” (C4); and “We have tried different fertilizers, but nothing seems to bring back the fertility of the land” (C3). Cases C8 and C9 show how climate change challenges result in price fluctuations in the market and experienced yield damage, indicating its effects on consumer and producer welfare and food security status. For C8, “Uncertainty of production sometimes leads to excess production, resulting in low prices, while at other times, the production is so small that prices increase significantly” (C8), and, in C9’s case, “Our agricultural production is very unstable; around 30% of it gets destroyed” (C9).

4.2.2. Farming Income Instability Among Farm Households

Almost all cases reported the challenge of maintaining a stable income from farming due to the fluctuations in key climatic parameters. C6 reported uncertainty in the farm income, as follows: “Our income is very uncertain; sometimes we can earn well, but most of the time, climate change negatively impacts our income.” The C13, C12, C4, C2, C1, and C3 cases show how a lower crop yield jeopardized their farm income circle. C4 states that “With the lower crop yields, our income has dropped drastically, and we struggle to pay for essentials like seeds and fertilizer” (C4), while for C2, “We can’t afford to save money anymore because everything we earn goes into trying to salvage our crops” (C2). A reduced farm income limits the purchasing power of farm households, limiting the dietary diversity of staple foods and negatively affecting their nutritional status. It further indicates how a lower crop yield due to climate change weakens farmers’ production capability and how farm households are trapped in a debt circle. The following quotations demonstrate this: “The debt we have accumulated is growing; every year, we need to borrow more to keep our farms running” (C1); “Some of us have had to sell parts of our land or livestock just to stay afloat financially” (C3).

Farming is the primary income source of these households, and income reduction due to crop failure weakens the farm households’ market accessibility, particularly in terms of food. “Our income has reduced, and no proper alternative income sources” (C10), C10 stated. Furthermore, the spiraling cost of farming inputs further aggravates the situation. As C5 said, “The cost of farming inputs has skyrocketed, but our returns have decreased, putting us in a difficult financial position” (C5).

4.2.3. Reduced Food Availability and Increased Hunger

Cases C1, C3, and C5 revealed the declining trend of farm production due to the various factors related to climate change, as noted in previous sections. It directly affects food availability at the household level and increases dependency on external sources for food, which is shown in the following statements: “There are days when our own families don’t have enough food because we can’t grow enough to meet our needs” (C5); “The shortage of food from our fields has forced us to reduce the number of meals we eat in a day” (C3); and “We rely on food aid sometimes because our harvest is not enough to sustain us through the year” (C1). Cases C2, C8, and C7 revealed that higher food prices at the market have constricted the farm households’ capability to access food, particularly limiting their accessibility to staple foods and reducing their dietary quality. This is demonstrated in the following statements: “We used to be self-sufficient, but now we have to buy food from the market, and the prices are becoming too high” (C2); “Food prices are very high; some vegetables cost between Rs. 1000 and 2000” (C8); and “Our food expenditure has increased; vegetable prices and other essential goods are very high” (C7). This indicates that members of the households face a risk of malnutrition due to the reduced dietary diversity. The severity of the context is reflected in cases C3 and C4, as follows: “Our diet has become so limited that we often miss out on essential nutrients” (C3); “Our children are going hungry more often because there is not enough food to go around” (C4).

4.2.4. Deterioration of Nutrition and Dietary Diversity

The previous section recognizes that dietary diversity is a critical parameter in ensuring household members receive the adequate nutrients for a healthy life. As revealed in the earlier sections, the climate change issue has gradually limited the households’ access to a diverse food basket and to staple food, putting the members at risk of nutrient deficiencies. C1, C5, and C9 further demonstrated this, as follows: “We used to grow vegetables and fruits, but now we’re mostly stuck with just rice because it’s the only thing that survives” (C1); “We used to eat a balanced diet, but now we’re mainly eating what little rice we can grow, with very few vegetables” (C5); and “Present-day food prices are higher due to destroyed agriculture productions, leading to reduced dietary diversity” (C9).

A lack of diversity in the food basket would result in various health problems, including malnutrition, as it limits essential vitamins and minerals. This is particularly critical for vulnerable groups such as children and pregnant and lactating mothers. As revealed in the following statement by C4, they clearly understand the potential consequences of the deterioration of nutrition and dietary diversity: “Our meals have become monotonous; we don’t have the variety we used to, which is affecting our health” (C4). Interviews with C2, C3, and C4 imply the connection between income instability, reduction in yield, affordability, and the growing issue of nutrient-rich foods, demonstrated as follows: “The lack of different types of food has made us worried about whether we are getting proper nutrition” (C2); “Our children are not getting the nutrition they need because we can’t afford to buy fruits and vegetables anymore” (C3); and “We are unable to consume enough protein since we had to sell most of our livestock” (C4).

4.2.5. Strain on Water Resources and Management

The impact of climate change on water resources in dry zone areas is well-documented in the literature. Farmers in this particular study area have experienced a considerable decline in water levels in wells and other sources of irrigation, making it challenging for them to manage their crop fields effectively. C3 noted, “The water level in our wells has dropped significantly, making it harder to irrigate our fields”. C4 further revealed the riskiness of trusting or being dependent on the irrigation canals for their agriculture activities, indicating the risk in deriving potential yields from their crop fields. This is mainly due to the uncertainty of the water supply during the dry period. As they said, “The irrigation canals have become unreliable; they dry up during crucial times, leaving our crops thirsty” (C4). Similarly, C6 said the following: “We’re constantly worried about where the next water supply will come from, especially during the dry season” (C6). This has resulted in rationing water between their crops and household needs, such as in the following case: “Water scarcity has become so severe that we have to ration water for both our crops and our household needs” (C1). These facts are related to the decline in water resources and the uncertainty of having a constant water supply, thus disrupting farming schedules, reducing crop yields, and further straining household food security. The farmers reported the deteriorating status of the water resources’ quality in the area, resulting in additional complications in farming and thereby challenging the maintenance of productive crop fields. In C5’s case, “Sometimes the water we use is so contaminated that it damages our crops instead of helping them grow” (C5).

5. Discussion

5.1. Declining Crop Yields and Food Security

This study reveals the detrimental impact of climate variability on crop production in Sri Lanka’s dry zone, consequently threatening the food security status of farm households. The current findings are in line with several other studies. They emphasize that unpredictable climate change trends highly and drastically interrupt ecosystem functions and services that enhance agricultural food production systems and household food security, specifically in rural areas [21]. For instance, [31] revealed that the increase in unpredictable rainfall patterns, reinforced by shortened or delayed monsoon seasons, has directly affected traditional agricultural practices, diminishing agricultural yields.

Several similar trends have been observed worldwide, regarding how climate change has impacting the fluctuations in planting timetables, reducing yields, and raising vulnerability to severe natural hazards, including floods and droughts [32]. Respondents C3, C4, and C5 described some degradation in the soil quality and the increase in pest incidence as pieces of evidence of the enduring effects of climate change in agroecosystems, hence the difficulty of regaining productivity [33].

5.2. Income Instability and Economic Vulnerability

In some respondent references (C1, C3), reduced yields limit farmers’ ability to invest in farming activities again, trapping them in a negative debt cycle with stressful financial burdens. As [34] emphasized, this specific trend agrees with studies showing how climate volatility negatively impacts food producers, particularly for smallholder farmers, who rely on stable yields to make a living. Furthermore, the respondents’ lack of other sources of income underlines the smallholder farmer communities’ weak adaptive capacity to both climatic and economic risks [35]. These farmers have to bear numerous costs in farming interventions. The rise in costs has resulted in financial pressure on the family, and market prices also weaken family account balances. The current reality pinpoints the need for policy actions to enhance resilience through timely financial support, acquiring secondary incomes, and improving market linkages for farming communities within the rural setting [36,37,38]. Considering all of the findings above, this study focuses on the impact of climate change crop failures as a cause and exacerbating factor of income volatility among these farming households.

5.3. Reduced Food Availability and Increased Hunger

The study emphasizes that reduced crop production in these regions produces a low amount of food supplies in most farming households. Therefore, families must turn to the market to cater to their food needs. Climate change’s impact on agriculture worsen global food availability, and this is a more acute problem in vulnerable areas, including the dry zones of Sri Lanka [6]. According to the respondents of this study, high market prices, coupled with inflation, greatly limit access to sufficient and healthy foods. Further, this poses a high risk of hunger and malnutrition [39]. The nexus between reduced yields, increased purchased food consumption, and a tripled food price represents a broader problem of inaccessible food due to the adverse impacts of climate change [40,41].

In line with this, [42] highlights the importance of having specific, knowledge-driven activities aimed at increasing the quality food production by poor households and improving the access of such poor farming households to markets. This fact proves that increased food prices are challenging to households involved in farming and production, thus impacting their access to food, and many are already producing less food than before, which reveals the country’s deteriorating agriculture sector.

5.4. Nutritional Deficiency and Declining Dietary Diversity

This study discusses the general issue of how climate change affects nutrition due to crop diversity reduction, as noted by farming households. Restricted dietary diversity has led to deficiencies in critical vitamins and minerals in the human body, which is worst in children and other more vulnerable individuals [43,44]. The perceptions of respondents C1 and C5 align with the findings of [44,45], which emphasize that the change to a single rice-based diet is a classic picture of such climate change-affected regions. In these areas, staple foods are the only available and affordable food variety, leading to poor nutritional profiles. The literature from various countries [46,47] has described the importance of dietary diversity in later health status. Current data from the dry areas of Sri Lanka also suggest that food insecurity caused by climate change will lead to increased malnutrition levels if appropriate measures are not taken to increase resilience. These emerging challenges require nutrition-sensitive interferences, including supporting farmers to grow climate-resilient crops and improving market access for micronutrient-rich diets [48].

5.5. Water Resource Challenges and Agricultural Productivity

The findings further discuss how the Sri Lankan dry zone experiences reduced agricultural yields that are primarily attributed to water rationing due to climate change. The decreased water availability from sources such as irrigation wells and canals (C3, C4) reveals an emerging problem that is worsened by the changing precipitation and high evaporation rates [49]. In addition, the respondents mentioned a significant reduction in water availability for irrigation purposes and household usage, which is also an internationally recognized issue concerning managing water resources in agriculture [50].

Notably, water scarcity limits crop growth, meaning that farmers cannot firmly maintain their crop cultivations, which leads to less productivity and less economic gain, ultimately leading to escalating food insecurities and economic uncertainties for farming communities. This pinpoints the necessity of appropriate climate change policies for water management, including rainwater, innovative irrigation techniques, and proper policies for the sustainable usage of water [51,52]. The findings of this study on the deteriorating quality of water resources and water contaminations show broad environmental and health issues, since impure water damages the quality of crop cultivation and the health status of people [52]. Therefore, improving water quality management is critical to support intensive agriculture and food security related to climate change challenges.

6. Policy Recommendations

The research findings emphasize effective policy implications, specifically for climate change adaptation strategies and ensuring the food security of farming households. Some policy recommendations were proposed by considering the vulnerabilities of farming communities concerning climate change effects in the dry zone of Sri Lanka. Farming households face disruptions in food security due to reduced agricultural yields, shortages, and market purchases. Food security depends on food production, income stability, water resource management, nutrition quality, and dietary diversity.

Developing effective policy interventions can promote sustainable agricultural practices for dry zones and alleviate the impacts of climate change on food security. Policymakers should focus on adaptation methods, enhanced water management systems, improved access to climate-resilient seeds, and support community-based initiatives to strengthen local food production. Thus, developing climate-resilient solutions is essential to improve food security. Strategies such as increased access to markets, crop diversification, and water-use efficiency can help overcome such hindrances, specifically for a resilient agricultural sector that absorbs climate shocks. Increased productivity is a comprehensive approach to enhancing food security and the sustainability of agriculture activities.

Establishing social safety nets, such as food aid programs and financial support for affected households, will help these communities adapt to the growing challenges of food access and availability posed by climate change, ensuring long-term food security and resilience. Climate change affects food availability and access, prompting households to seek alternative income sources, adopt new farming techniques, and adapt government assistance programs.

This study, by using a qualitative approach, provides valuable insights into food security conditions in selected dry zone households of Sri Lanka; however, it does not reflect the entire spectrum of regional variations throughout the country. Thus, the results are limited to the studied participant group, and they do not encompass all regional variations.

7. Conclusions

This comprehensive study establishes how climate change most prominently influences food security among farming households in the dry zone of Sri Lanka. It does so through perspectives on crop yield, income stability, access to water, and nutritional quality. Fluctuations in weather patterns, including low amounts of rainfall, uncertain onset of rain, and extreme weather conditions, have affected established farming regimes, reducing productivity, yields, and farm income. These consequences cause increased food insecurity, alongside rising prices and reduced market access, making households consume limited food types that are devoid of quality and nutrients.

The participants in this study experienced declining incomes and increased costs while having only a few and limited coping mechanisms to overcome these issues. Additionally, these communities have experienced uncounted challenges, such as water shortage and contamination, declining soil fertility, and pest attacks, that further threaten agricultural productivity and human health.

These research findings provide essential knowledge about how climate change affects the household food security system of the dry zone of Sri Lanka. The qualitative research method offers detailed knowledge of climate change effects, including water issues and farm failures. Food security in farming households depends on a delicate balance of food production, income, economic stability, water resource management, food availability and access, nutrition quality, and dietary diversity. Climate change has made farming households highly vulnerable, as negative changes reduce their capacity to produce food and affect their purchasing power. Poor water management can lead to crop failure, limited water availability, and increased expenditure for clean water products in rain-dependent areas like the dry zone of Sri Lanka. Poor market access for buying and selling foods further exacerbates food insecurity.

Within this context, it is vital to identify hunger and poverty issues, as well as the nutritional conditions of vulnerable farming communities, and generate sustainable employment opportunities. Strengthening the national agricultural policy framework with more focus on establishing a farming community that is reinforced with adaptive capacities to take on the adverse effects of climate change is essential. This approach would support and address the challenges caused by the food security effect. Further, practical measures that promote smallholder farmers’ coping ability and encourage sustainable livelihoods will help agricultural communities prevent or cope with the adverse impacts of climate change and sustain food security in the long run.

Future research can use large-scale samples and quantitative methods to identify the broader relationship between climate change and its impacts on household food security. Researchers can also test the effectiveness of government policies on climate change impacts on farming and external institutional interventions in the future.