Drivers of Food Security amongst Plantain Producing Households in Edo State, Nigeria

Abstract

The agricultural sector in many countries continues to be plagued with diverse challenges which often tend to affect agricultural yield, thus posing a threat to food security. This reduced yield has the potential to pose a threat to achieving global food security. Due to the high occurrence of food insecurity, many households are devising strategies through which they can cope with the adverse effect of food insecurity. This study assessed the factors driving food security among plantain-producing households in Edo State, Nigeria. Primary data was collected in 120 plantain-producing households using a multi-stage random sampling technique and analyzed using the food security index and logit regression model. The households’ food security status was estimated at N555 (approx. $1), based on a daily minimum food bundle of 2260 kcal. The study showed that 46.7% of households were food insecure. The regression analysis for factors influencing food security revealed that older household heads tend to be more food insecure as compared to their younger counterpart. With a positive relationship between farm size and food security, the likelihood of being food secure increases with farm size increase. Similarly, female-headed households are more likely to be food secure. To cope with food insecurity, households have used coping strategies which include eating less of their preferred food, limiting the portion of food, and skipping meals.