Authors: Olamide O*, Emmanuel Olusegun ABE, Lawal E and Mayaki TB
Achieving food and nutrition security entails ensuring secure access to food alongside a hygienic environment, adequate healthcare services, and informed caregiving, thereby enabling individuals to lead healthy and productive lives. An individual's ability to realize their full personal and economic potential hinges significantly on their level of food and nutrition security. Moreover, the availability of nutrition resources and the degree to which an individual has access to such resources are a function of how society is organized in terms of economic structure, political and ideological expectations, and its institutions. Nigeria grapples with numerous hurdles in attaining food and nutrition security, including widespread poverty, heightened levels of food insecurity, limited access to clean water and sanitation, inadequate healthcare provisions, and suboptimal dietary habits. Among these challenges, poverty stands out as a critical impediment. The World Bank reports that approximately 40% of Nigerians live below the poverty line, rendering many unable to afford a balanced diet. Additionally, restricted access to clean water and sanitation significantly impacts nutrition security, as it contributes to the proliferation of waterborne illnesses and malnutrition, particularly among children. Insecurity also poses a significant barrier to food production in Nigeria's primary agricultural zones. This article provides a thorough examination of the complexities surrounding food and nutrition security in Nigeria, offering practical solutions to address these pressing issues.
Keywords: Household Food Security; Nutrition Security; Nigeria
