Food Insecurity and Coping Strategies among Rural Households in Niger State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study aimed to assess food insecurity and coping strategies adopted by rural households in Niger State, Nigeria. The research adopts a sample size of 104 rural household heads from three Local Government Areas drawn from three agricultural zones of the State. Food insecurity index was used to determine the food insecurity status of the rural households, while universal coping strategy index was used to determine the different strategies adopted by the rural households faced with problem of food insecurity. Food insecurity index result revealed that 48% of the rural household heads in Niger State, Nigeria were food insecure, while 52% were food secure with a per capita household consumption of 2,243 kcal and per capita requirement of 2,474 kcal, indicating that the State was facing food insecurity issues. Rural households in Niger State, Nigeria adopted seven coping strategies in order to cope with food shortage, which included eating less preferred food, reducing food consumption portion, children eating first, purchasing food on credit or borrowing food, leasing of assets, relying on help from relatives and friends and skipping meals. The study recommend that government should put forward policies in agriculture and employment aimed at reducing or eliminating poverty, which will subsequently increase the level of food secure households in Niger, Nigeria.