Impact of ICT Adoption and Governance Interaction on Food Security in West Africa

Muhammad Khalid Anser,Idowu Bashiru Olalekan,Romanus Osabohien,Alhassan Abdulwakeel Karakara,Junaid Ashraf,Angie Igbinoba,Olawale Olonade

doi:10.3390/su13105570

Abstract

The impact of the interaction of governance and information and communication technologies (ICT) adoption on food security in West Africa is investigated in this study. The study engaged the system generalised method of moments (GMM) approach on a panel data of 15 West African countries. The data used for the study are obtained from the world development indicators (WDI) and world governance indicators (WGI), for the period 2005 to 2018. The findings show that good governance (government effectiveness and efficient anti-corruption control) can boost food security by between 12% and 20%. Furthermore, the findings show that a 1% rise in ICT adoption may boost food security by 12% to 15%. In explaining the level of food security, the relationship between governance and ICT adoption is positive and significant. This implies that ICT and governance (government effectiveness) interaction may have about 15% positive influence on food security, while ICT and control of corruption interaction may positively influence the level of food security by 8%. The study concludes by recommending that to enhance food security in West Africa, effectiveness in governance and ICT adoption are crucial.

Highlights

One of the visions of global economies is to ensure food security, in order to achieve the United Nations (UN) 2030 sustainable development goals (SDGs), especially SDG-2(to reduce extreme hunger by half and achieve food security) [1]
From the result, information and communication technologies (ICT) adoption and control of corruption interact positively to increase the level of food security by about 15%, while ICT adoption and government effectiveness interact may increase the level of food security 18%
This study contributes to the literature by exploring how governance and ICT interact to affect the level of food security in West Africa in order to achieve the United Nations sustainable goals (SDG) by 2030, primarily GDG-2, to “end extreme hunger and achieve food security”

Summary

Introduction

One of the visions of global economies is to ensure food security, in order to achieve the United Nations (UN) 2030 sustainable development goals (SDGs), especially SDG-2(to reduce extreme hunger by half and achieve food security) [1]. Does the demand for food, thereby posing a threat to food security [2,3]. By 2050, the global population is expected to reach 9 billion, leading to an increased level of food demand and worsened the state of food insecurity, especially in Africa, which has low marginal labour productivity in the agricultural sector [2,4]. To feed about 9 billion people by 2050, agricultural production and its marginal labour productivity needs to be increased by 70% [2]. This is crucial due to the increasing rate of food insecurity.

Objectives

Methods

Findings

Discussion

Conclusion