Local perspectives on food security in Nigeria's Niger delta

Abstract

This paper surveys local perceptions of oil exploitation on household food security in Nigeria's Niger Delta. It explores what should be done to improve local people's access to sufficient supplies of safe and culturally-acceptable food. Drawing on field data, the paper argues that food security is not just about availability and accessibility. The impact of oil pollution on farmlands, crops, vegetation and water is so devastating that people can no longer engage in productive farming and fishing. The limited access to modern agricultural methods means that fishing and farming are carried out using mostly crude implements and traditional methods. This paper offers insight into the negative implications of the activities of oil multinationals for environmental and livelihood sustainability, and household food security in the Niger Delta, through active engagement with local people.