Food Poverty Profile for Nigeria

Abstract

Poverty has remained largely unabated in Nigeria despite the efforts made in tackling it. Previous studies on poverty focused on total expenditure and did not adequately cater for regional differences in prices, needs, tastes and preferences. This study, therefore, examined the incidence, depth and severity of food poverty in Nigeria and produced a food poverty profile for the country based on zone-specific food poverty lines. The study used data from National Bureau of Statistics’ Nigeria Living Standard Survey, 2004. Linear programming technique in the spirit of the Food-Energy-Intake (FEI) approach, and the Foster-Greer-Thorbecke (FGT) index were utilized. The estimates of the study showed, among other things, that food poverty lines varied across zones, and food poverty was pervasive in the country and varied across zones. Thus policies and programs that will adequately increase people’s access to food and minimize the incidence of food poverty in Nigeria should be adopted.