Published in Scientific Papers. Series "Management, Economic Engineering in Agriculture and rural development", Vol. 21 ISSUE 4
Written by Ufedo Monday SHAIBU
This study analysed the food security situation in Nigeria between 1960 and 2020. The longitudinal survey design was used. Secondary data on food security indicators were obtained from World Development Indicators (WDI) of the World Bank, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). The data were analysed using descriptive statistics. Findings revealed a general upward trend in agricultural output, per capita food production, and per capita income. The country’s agricultural output was relatively low during the independence f 1960 and the first decade. Further, there was instability in growth, this was followed by some slight increase prior to 2015 and 2016. The study also revealed low rate of per capita food production prior to late 1980. Before the oil boom, Nigeria’s per capita income was relatively low; while the depth of food deficit obviously decreased from 75 kilocalories per person per day in 1997 to 42 kilocalories per person per day in 2016.This study concluded that Nigeria and Nigerians are having food insecurity problems – a very low value of food production per capita and a high depth of food deficit that has been on the increase since the past decade.
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