Food Security

, Volume 5, Issue 3, pp 407–414 | Cite as

Food insecurity and coping strategies in South-West Nigeria

  • Dare Akerele
  • Siaka Momoh
  • Adebayo B. Aromolaran
  • Clara R. B. Oguntona
  • Adebayo Musediku Shittu
Original Paper
First Online:
Received:
Accepted:

Abstract

Food insecurity and coping strategies in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State in the south-western part of Nigeria were studied by means of a multistage sampling technique. Data were collected from 80 households, consisting of 321 members, with the aid of a well-structured questionnaire, and were analysed using a Food Insecurity Index. The overall incidence of food insecurity was 58.8 % while the depth of food insecurity, expressed as the average percent increase in calories required to meet the recommended daily requirement, was 19.5 %. Thus, the study confirmed the widespread existence of household food insecurity but with mild severity. Food insecurity indices declined with higher levels of income and educational attainment but increased with household size and number of dependants. Incidence of food insecurity was slightly higher among female headed than male headed households but the depth and severity were lower. Eating less expensive and less preferred food and reducing portion sizes were the three most common coping strategies for combating short-term food shortages. Policies that would enhance income earning capacity of household members and their access to higher education, well-focused gender specific interventions and promotion of backyard farming are advocated.

Keywords

Food insecurity Coping strategies Food shortages Food insecurity index Nigeria 
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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht and International Society for Plant Pathology 2013

Authors and Affiliations

  • Dare Akerele
    • 1
  • Siaka Momoh
    • 1
  • Adebayo B. Aromolaran
    • 2
  • Clara R. B. Oguntona
    • 3
  • Adebayo Musediku Shittu
    • 1
  1. 1.Department of Agricultural Economics and Farm ManagementFederal University of AgricultureAbeokutaNigeria
  2. 2.Toluwani Special Needs CentreAbeokutaNigeria
  3. 3.Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Food Science and Human EcologyFederal University of AgricultureAbeokutaNigeria

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