Towards food security in Nigeria

One of the objectives of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is to eliminate hunger across the globe. This task seems impossible but achievable despite rising insecurity across the world, especially in developing nations like Nigeria.

Food security is indispensable prerequisite for the survival of man and his economic activities, including food production. Nigeria is a country believed to be richly blessed with abundant natural and human resources that if properly managed or harnessed can feed its people and even exported to other countries. Yet, the country is experiencing persistent food insecurity.

Food security exist when all people at all times have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preference for an active and healthy life. It does not involve only food availability through storage and trade but also the access of people to the domestic production not through scavenging, cropping strategies or stealing.

Food insecurity, on the other hand, is a situation where there is no access or sufficient nutritious food for mankind through the legal process or when a person is unable to obtain a sufficient amount of healthy food on a day-to-day basis. Food was the major source of Nigeria’s revenue and foreign exchange earnings and even industries and individuals in the state. During this period there was food security in the country, but with the discovery of oil it declined. Food production has suffered from decades of under-investment, corruption, policy neglect, loss of opportunities, insurgency, communal conflicts and herdsmen/farmers clashes in most parts of the country.

Therefore, it is easy to identify some factors militating against food security in Nigeria but the most serious threat to food security in Nigeria is the recent but devastating increase in terrorism and communal clashes and other security challenges facing the nation.

Muhammad Ali,

Department of Mass Communication, University of Maiduguri

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