UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA, NSUKKA CAMPUS.

FACULTY OF HEALTH SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY.

DEPARTMENT OF MEDICAL LABORATORY SCIENCE.

TOPIC:

FOOD SECURITY IN THE MIDST OF INCREASING INSECURITY IN NIGERIA.

A TERM PAPER

SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT OF THE COURSE

GSP: 101

(Use of English Language 1)

BY: EZE AGATHA ONYINYE

REG NO: 2020/244047

LECTURER: DR. F. U NGWOKE

October 2021
 TITLE PAGE

FOOD SECURITY IN THE MIDST OF INCREASING INSECURITY IN NIGERIA.

 DEDICATION

I dedicate this work to almighty God the giver of knowledge.

 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

My profound gratitude goes to God almighty who has given me the power and knowledge to see

the end of this term paper work. I also wish to acknowledge my lecturers, Dr. F. U Ngwoke who

had been dedicated to make sure we understand his lectures through his narrations stories etc.

May the good Lord bless and reward him abundantly.

 TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE………………………………………………………………………………….I

DEDICATION…………………………………………………………………………………II

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT……………………………………………………………………..III

TABLE OF CONTENT…………………………………………………………………….....IV

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………………………….

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CONCLUSION

REFERENCE
CHAPTER ONE

[1.0] INTRODUCTION

[1.1] Introduction to the topic.

Adequate food production is the first essential component of social and economic justice. Even if

a nation cannot send an astronaut to the moon, it should be able to feed her population, only then

can it occupy place of pride in the community of nations. Nigeria as a country is richly blessed

with plentiful human and natural resources that if yoked appropriately can nourish her people

and gain more revenue via exporting the surpluses to other countries. Yet she experiences

constant food crisis in terms of quality and quantity. Cases of malnutrition and under nutrition

are rising by the day. The food intake requirements of majority of Nigerians have fallen far

below the international standard.

Some of the companies that had something to do with food production include:

 The national Grains Production Company.

 National Root Crops Production Companies.

 North-east, Western and National Livestock Production Companies.

 The Nigerian National Shrimp Company.

 The Nigerian National Fish Company.

The Federal Government in [1989] established these companies to participate in direct

production of food. The major crops targeted includes maize, rice, millet, wheat, sorghum and

cassava. One should mention in passing the establishment of 11 (eleven) River Basin

Development Authorities [RBDA], they were set up to develop river basins for meaningful

agricultural production to make Nigeria self-sufficient in food production. Operation Feed the
Nation (OFN) and Green Revolution [GR] were other short-lived national campaign launched to

give agriculture a good image and to encourage land owners to take to farming not only as an

occupation but also as a way of life. These programs were more in favors of capital intensive and

large scale commercial farmers who corruptly enriched themselves at the expense of poor

peasant farmers.

The key thrust of Nigeria’s agricultural renaissance is to diversify its economy by making

agriculture the hub of economic growth while also achieving a hunger-free country. A hunger-

free country is one that is food secure. Food security has become a national priority for the

country considering that a vast majority of its 198.1 million population is food insecure

(FMARD, 2016). Food and nutrition insecurity is prevalent in Nigeria despite its favorable agro-

ecological endowments. It has a total landmass of 92.4 million hectares, out of which only about

32 million hectares or 34.63 percent are under cultivation. Nigeria, therefore, lacks both the

capacity and capability to cater for the food and nutrition requirements of its teeming population.

As such, food insecurity and the prevalence of under-nutrition in Nigeria are among the worst

globally.

[1.3] FOOD SECURITY

The 1996 World Food Summit adopted a still more complex definition:

“Food security, at the individual, household, national, regional and global levels [is achieved]

when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and

nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life”.

This definition is again refined in The State of Food Insecurity 2001:

“Food security is a state that exists when all people, at all times, have physical, social and

economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food

preferences for an active and healthy life”.

X-raying the definition reveals the multidimensional nature of the food security concept. Food

Sufficiency focuses on the availability and adequate quantities of food of appropriate quality;

physical and economic access focuses on individuals’ access to sufficient food.

THE FOUR MAJOR DIMENSIONS OF FOOD SECURITY.

 Food Availability: Food availability addresses the “supply side” of food security

and is determined by the level of food production, stock levels and net trade.

 Food Access: An adequate supply of food at the national or international level

does not in itself guarantee household level food security. Concerns about

insufficient food access have resulted in a greater policy focus on incomes,

expenditure, markets and prices in achieving food security objectives

 Food Utilization: Utilization is commonly understood as the way the body makes

the most of various nutrients in the food. Sufficient energy and nutrient intake by

individuals is the result of good care and feeding practices, food preparation, and

diversity of the diet and intra-household distribution of food. Combined with good

biological utilization of food consumed, this determines the nutritional status of

individuals.

 Food stability: Even if your food intake is adequate today, you are still considered

to be food insecure if you have inadequate access to food on a periodic basis,

risking a deterioration of your nutritional status. Adverse weather conditions,

 political instability, or economic factors (unemployment, rising food prices) may

have an impact on your food security status.

[1.4] EVOLUTION OF FOOD SECURITY

The term “food security” is an important phenomenon with a global recognition. It was first

discovered as a concept of food supply in which at that time, food crisis led to concerns that

global food supply shortages might bring about political instability (Simmons and Sundry, 2012).

It was recognized at that time that food availability remained a fundamental component of

comprehending what food security meant, and it was realized that food availability was not a

sufficient condition for access to food at household level. Sen (1981) opined that the poor usually

lack “entitlement” to food due to spike in food prices and reduced demand for wage labor. The

1974 World Food Summit definition of food security emphasized availability of food at all times

but this was revised in 1983 to include physical and economic access to basic food (FAO, 1983)

Food security further evolved as a concept that did not include only national levels but also

involved household and individual distributions. This food access at household levels continued

to gain relevance with the understanding that household is a key social unit through which

people access their food. Also, food utilization was recognized as a third component of food

security, which reflects differences in the allocation of food within the households, the national

quality of food and variation in absorption and metabolism of food nutrients by individuals

within the household. Moreover, at the 1996 World Food Summit, the food security definition

was further revised and it clearly spelt out the importance of diet quality at the individual level,

not only at the household level (FAO, 1996). The FAO (1996) food security definition later

became the widely accepted definition which incorporated not only the three domains of food

security discussed above (availability, access and utilization) but included the phrase “at all
times” which reiterated the fourth, less commonly accepted domain of food security, i.e., the

stability of food security over time.

[1.5] FOOD INSERCURITY

Food insecurity is defined as the disruption of food intake or eating patterns because of lack of

money and other resources. It can also be defined as food insecurity may be referred to as the

absence of one or more of these components.

FOOD INSECURITY IS CLASSIFED INTO TWO CATEGORIES:

 Chronic food security: this is long-term or persistent. It occurs when people are unable to

meet their minimum food requirements over a sustained period of time. It results from

extended periods of poverty, lack of assets and inadequate access to productive or

financial resources. And it can be overcome by typical long term development measures

also used to address poverty, such as education or access to productive resources, such as

credit. They may also need more direct access to food to enable them to raise their

productive capacity.

 Seasonal food security: falls between chronic and transitory food insecurity. It is similar

to chronic food insecurity as it is usually predictable and follows a sequence of known

events. However, as seasonal food insecurity is of limited duration it can also be seen as

recurrent, transitory food insecurity. It occurs when there is a cyclical pattern of

inadequate availability and access to food. This is associated with seasonal fluctuations in

the climate, cropping patterns, work opportunities (labor demand) and disease.

 Transitory food security: this is short-term and temporary. This occurs when there is a

sudden drop in the ability to produce or access enough food to maintain a good
nutritional status. It results from short-term shocks and fluctuations in food availability

and food access, including year-to-year variations in domestic food production, food

prices and household incomes. Transitory food insecurity is relatively unpredictable and

can emerge suddenly. This makes planning and programming more difficult and requires

different capacities and types of intervention, including early warning capacity and safety

net programs.
CHAPTER 2

[2.0] IMPORTANCE OF FOOD SECURITY

While most of them might seem quite obvious, let’s list all the reasons why food security is

important for Nigeria:

 Everybody has to eat:

The obvious should not go without saying. Our dependency on food is so central that we

often do not consider it or who is benefitting and who is paying.

 Food is a basic human right:

Canada is a signatory to the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Article 25 includes the “right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-

being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care...”

 Food is the basis of a community’s economy:

Food is the basic element of community self-reliance. It provides jobs, enhances culture,

enables community and supports public health. Because of its essential nature, agriculture

and food keeps going when other industries fail.

 Good food is the basis of health:

Nutrition is tied to health. The major causes of death and disability in our society

(cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer) can all be significantly affected by healthy

eating choices and lifestyles.

 People are rightly concerned about food-health connections:

Consumers are growing increasingly concerned about the safety of their food. This

relates to manufactured food products and questions about additives, pesticide residues,
 hormones, or genetically modified organisms; and to links between diet and disease (such

as cancer or Mad Cow Disease).

 If a person cannot pay for food, they should not go hungry:

Even if someone cannot afford to buy high quality foods, they should at least be able to

have access to nutritious food, and when there is food security, they have that ability.

 Country that cannot provide food for its people is at mercy of those who can:

If a country is struggling to feed its citizens, the only thing it has to rely on is the mercy

of other countries. It is a very unstable option, and it can be used against the country in

need.
[3.0] CHAPTER 3

POSITIVE IMPACT OF FOOD SECURITY IN NIGERIA

It has been proven that food security has an impact on economic growth, especially in dry-land

developing countries.

 Economic growth: Food security also has an impact on economic growth in terms of life

expectancy, total employment, and poverty, whereas life expectancy and total

employment with better food security have a positive impact on economic growth,

reduction in poverty, achieving food security and enhancing economic growth.

 Poverty reduction: Reducing poverty is a key element in a policy for food security,

because poor people spend such a large share of their incomes on food, leaving them

vulnerable to high food prices, and many poor people obtain much of their income from

farming, leaving them vulnerable to declines in agricultural output. 

 Trade opportunities

 Increased global security and stability

 Improved health and healthcare

 Decrease in food prices

 Food security eradicates hunger.

CHAPTER 4

CAUSES FOR LACK OF FOOD SECURITY

Food insecurity is both a cause and a consequence of violence, contributing to a vicious cycle or

“conflict trap”. Food security is critical for political stability. It is linked to increased risk of

common failure, protests and rioting, communal violence and civil conflict. Violent conflicts, in

turn, create food insecurity, malnutrition and in some instances famine. 

 Lack of Access to Farming Lands:

Without access to farming land, however, it means the lack of a key resource for producing

food crops.

 Conflict, Violence and Wars:

Conflicts, wars and violence impact food production and supplies. In most countries where

civil war has been prevalent over the years, food insecurity is very high.

 Unfair Trade Rules:

Better-resourced farmers could get food supply contracts, but small-scale farmers will often

work as labor on contracted farms. Such practices contribute further to food insecurity,

especially to the small-scale farmers and those who are not financially stable.

 Fast-paced Population Growth:

We live in a world where despite the rates of deaths, the birth rates are higher. The growing

population means there are extra mouths to feed daily. The rise in population, with limited

growth in the food available, means an increase in food insecurity.

 Biofuels:

Agro fuels are produced from plants like corn and sugar cane. Producing such biofuels is

emerging as a response to tackling climate change. Unfortunately, farms will be diverted into

growing such plants and crops for biofuels, decreasing the number of grains available for

food.

 Natural Disasters:

Drought, floods, typhoons, cyclones and other natural disasters can wipe out an entire harvest

or destroy crops. This is devastating most especially to rural communities and families, who

generally rely on such harvests and staple small-scale farming for their daily food.

 Wastage of Food:

The production levels are greater than the consumption, meaning food has to be thrown

away, yet people are dying of hunger in developing nations. FAO reports that each year, the

food wasted globally is about 1.3 billion tons.

EFFECTS OF LACK OF FOOD SECURITY

 Effects on Children:

Children who are food insecure or come from families that are food insecure are more likely

to require hospitalization and are at a higher risk of chronic health conditions like anemia and

asthma.

 Food Insecurity Leads to Hunger:

Hunger can also result from food insecurity. This makes the government spend more on

feeding the nation, instead of concentrating such monies to other projects such as

infrastructure, healthcare, and education.

 Increases in Food Prices:

Food insecurity means there is a shortage of food commodities, making the available food

expensive to purchase. This means the prices will go up and will result in related items being

more expensive. People’s access to food, care, feeding and access to healthcare may also

become limited as a consequence, making the nation more insecure.

 Unemployment:

When a nation is insecure about their availability of food, the economy will slow down. This

means more people will lose their jobs, wages will be lost, and losses in income will be

prevalent.

 A Rise in Health-related Costs

The higher the rate of food insecurity, the higher the risk of developing chronic illnesses such

as heart diseases. The burden is, therefore, placed on the healthcare system.

 Violent Conflict:

Despite violence being a cause of food insecurity, the reverse is also true. Food insecurity,

especially when caused by a rise in food prices, is a threat and results in violent conflict. It

might not be the only cause, but coupled with other factors, for example, in the political or

economic spheres, food insecurity could be the factor that determines whether and when

violent conflicts erupt.

SOLUTIONS FOR LACK OF FOOD SECURITY

Food insecurity affects over 820 million people all over the world, and no region is exempt from

it. Being a global challenge, governments and international institutions have employed all

possible means to defeat food insecurity. Here are some of the possible solutions to food

insecurity:

 Reduce Food Waste:

Food is wasted mainly because of inefficient preparations, bumpy or bad roads, over-

selective customers, and inadequate storage facilities. If storage facilities are improved and

there are adequate preparations for how the food will be used, less food will be wasted, and

there will be a more food secure community.

 Reduce the Risk of Commercializing:

If food is grown for the purposes of feeding the community or nation, food insecurity levels

will go down. Farmers can produce more food crops and will be able to produce cash crops

when there are enough food crops in the market.

 Improve Existing Infrastructural Programs:

Some farmers fail to get their produce to the market because of poor infrastructure including

roads, storage facilities, and food processing equipment. It ends up rotting in the farms than

being taken to those who need it or for processing. If the infrastructure is improved, more

food will be available in the market and the food insecurity levels can go down.

 Improve Trade Policies:

Some farmers fail to feed the community because of unfair trade policies. Corporate giants

have already stepped in and commercialized food, making it harder for small-scale farmers to

have their products in the market. Governments should, therefore, improve such policies, and

make it fair for everyone to participate.

 Promote Diversification:

Focusing on a single food crop or staple can produce terrible outcomes for food insecurity

reduction. As such, to improve food security, there needs to be training on the importance of

diversified and healthy diets for better nutrition.

 Close the Yield Gap:

Most of our farming lands are drained of their natural fertility levels and cannot produce as

much as they did years ago. To close the gap, governments and agricultural institutions in

charge have come up with strategies and programs for improving crop yields, especially

location-specific methods of sustainable agricultural intensification such as soil management

and land improvement.

CONCLUSION

Although there is an ongoing effort by the government through the instrumentality of the APP to

reposition the agricultural sector and make it the engine of Nigeria’s economic growth, however,

the effort can only yield expected dividends if the government does the needful with regards to

national insecurity. There is no way the country can promote productivity or achieve

competitiveness where symbolically, physically, and psychologically people feel unsafe. The

direct implication of national insecurity on food production was captured by ILO Et Al (2019),

when they recognized that it undermines farming capacity and spawns the likelihood of

galloping food prices, all of which exacerbate poverty and hunger and signpost a likely

nationwide food crisis. National insecurity has caused serious disruptions in Nigeria’s

agricultural activities. While millions of farmers have been uprooted and displaced from their

ancestral farming communities, others are perpetually afraid for their lives and as such cannot

optimally engage in farming activities. The direct implication is declining productivity with

attendant shortfalls, both of which further deepen the contradictions surrounding agricultural

production in Nigeria and the prospects of food security. What the Nigerian government must do

to reposition the agricultural sector is to urgently deal with the insecurity that characterizes the

farming communities. There is a far-reaching implication on Nigeria’s security architecture if

food insecurity is not reversed and resolved. Under different scenarios, food insecurity can create

national insecurity or be a consequence of national insecurity. In other words, national insecurity

can deepen food insecurity as we are witnessing with the disruptive activities of the Boko Haram

and Fulani herdsmen. On the other hand, food insecurity can trigger agitations, which could

create security crisis that undermines national security. This vicious cycle may go on and on and

produce complex security situations that could ultimately weaken and undermine the state.
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