Food Security In Nigeria

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BSTRACT This study examines the effects of livelihood activities on households’ food security in Ogbomoso South Local Government Area of Oyo State. The study used primary data which was obtained with the aid of structured questionnaire from 75 household heads. Data were analyzed using the descriptive statistics, food security index and logit regression model. From the result, 64.0% of the respondents were male and 36.00 percent% were female. Above average (56.00%) of them fall between the age range of 41-60 years, 88.00 percent % were married and also 60.10 percent % have household size ranging between 5-8 members. It also showed that majority (90.70%) of the respondents had formal education and they involve in various livelihood activities…show more content…
Food insecurity is seen as a major problem in many places today. In Nigeria, malnutrition, a consequence of food insecurity, is widespread especially in the rural areas and among the vulnerable groups of women and children (Ali 2005), (Ajani et al. 2006), (Akinyele 2009), (Ayantoye et al. 2011) . Despite the reported increase in food production in Nigeria (Oni et al. 2013), as well as the increasing level of importation of food, (Okunmadewa et al. 2005) present Nigeria’s food insecurity situation as appalling, in that the country is listed among the 42 low income food deficit countries. Apart from food production which large proportion of the Nigerian rural dwellers is involved in, accessibility remains a key issue to attain the desired food security…show more content…
Studies have shown that agricultural-based livelihood in rural Nigeria has a higher level of poverty and food insecurity than other occupational groups .Rural agriculture is subjected to local variations in weather conditions, and thus expected variations in income levels and thus access to food (Omonona 2009) .Therefore, there is need to diversify sources of income into multiple agricultural and/or non-agricultural income-based livelihood systems. Despite the fact that rural areas are agrarian in nature, there is an increasing level of income and livelihood diversification especially to non-agricultural income generating activities (Oluwatayo 2009).Diversification into non-farm income generating activities have been found to improve food access and nutrition (Babatunde & Qaim 2010) A key issue in poverty and food security is livelihood and income diversification potential of households. In fact, it may be noted that treating the issue of food security without consideration of the attendant security of the livelihood of the individual/household in question may be inadequate to making appropriate policy recommendations. (Olarinde & Kuponiyi 2005) showed, with respect to livelihood patterns, that farmers who produce for consumption alone are likely to fall into deeper food insecurity as a result of low income, reduced levels of productive resources and

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