Analysis of some factors influencing food insecurity in Nigeria

This paper is a review paper whose aim was to critically analyze factors influencing food security in Nigeria. It is no longer news that Nigeria as a country is plagued and currently facing a worrisome level of food insecurity due to certain human, environmental, economic and social factors such as climate change, inflation, weak agricultural systems, insecurity, population growth, among others. This study adopted literature review approach as the research design. It was discovered that food insecurity remains a critical challenge in Nigeria, driven by factors such as inadequate infrastructure, insecurity, climate change, and economic instability. It was observed that to address these issues and improve food supply, it is essential to invest in modern agricultural practices, strengthening infrastructure, and promoting sustainable farming systems like green agriculture. Enhancing the capacity of farmers through education, technology, and access to finance and farm inputs will empower them to increase productivity. Furthermore, fostering public-private partnerships and implementing supportive policies are key to creating a resilient and efficient agricultural system. With coordinated efforts across sectors, Nigeria can overcome its food security challenges and build a more sustainable and food-secure future for its population. The paper concluded that the country is suffering from food insecurity and concerted efforts needs to be done to ameliorate the food security crisis. Based on this, it was recommended among others that farmers should begin to practice modern agricultural practices, but not with genetically modified organisms (GMOs) which will have very minimal impacts on the environment, and human wellbeing, so green agriculture is the message.

Keywords: Food insecurity, food supply, environmental factors, economic challenges