Right to Food Policies, Justice and Sovereignty in Nigeria

Abstract

This study assessed the right to food policies, justice and sovereignty in Nigeria. The main areas of concentration were: introduction, meaning of food policy, some food policies in Nigeria, types of policies, audit of right to food policies in Nigeria, past policy articulations (1900 – 1999), food policy articulation and policy thrust in 2003, food policy legislations, sovereignty of food and agricultural development among many others. The study indicated that food policy is a public declaration that conveys the decisions to pursue a specific course of action aimed at improving food production practices, ensuring output growth and the overall development of the food sector. Some food policies in Nigeria are; food crop production policy, livestock production policy, food commodity storage policy among others. The study identified three types of polices namely; position declaration, policy statements and discussion papers. Past policy articulations are: Timber/non timber policy 1937, food policy 1946 and food policy for the western region 1952. Some policy legislations were identified, namely: adulteration of produce ordinance No.67 of 1917; 29 of 1920, 8th November 1917, Weight and measurements Act No. 32 of 1974 to June 1975 and River Basin Development Authorities Act No.35 of 1st October, 1986. Some inventory of right to food sovereignty strategies in Nigeria includes: Sovereignty strategy formulations, commodity boards, National Accelerated Food Production Project (NAFPP), National Livestock Development Project (NLDP), Operation Feed the Nation (OFN) and Green Revolution among very many others. One major problem of food policy implementation is lack of a well-defined programme. In conclusion, Right to Food Policy, Justice and Sovereignty Implementation means money spent, laws enforced, employees hired, plan of action formulated and carried out successfully for the development of the Nigerian food sub-sector. But the problem with Nigerian food policies is the structure among which is the absence of central coordinating members. Also, the study recommended that there is the need for government to set institutions that will monitor the planning and execution of food polices projects. Key words: Agricultural Development, Food, Justice, Legislations, Nigeria, Policies, Rights, Sovereignty