Food Insecurity and Policy Implementation in Nigeria: The Impediments to the Proper Implementation of Food and Agricultural Policies

Abstract

Abstract

The concern for food security is a cornerstone in the development process for every nation. One of the nations that has been concern and cursed with the utter devastation food insecurity can bring is Nigeria. This is because millions of Nigerians, particularly in the rural areas, deal with hunger each day and they continue to suffer from the effects of food insecurity such as malnutrition and stunting. This crisis is heavily rooted in the continued underperformance of the agriculture sector which produces food that is less than the market demand. This is because the agriculture sector is plagued by problems such as gender discrimination, inadequate infrastructure, climate change and poor policy implementation. The food and agricultural policies that are supposed to be the solution to the crisis are themselves inherently problematic. Since this is the case, research is required to better understand how food security can be strengthened. To do so, this research was driven by three research questions. First, what is the food insecurity situation and the related policies intended to alleviate the situation?  Second, what are the obstacles preventing these food and agricultural policies from being effectively implemented? Third, in what ways can a new approach be incorporated into the implementation process to increase the rate of success for food and agricultural policies? After using Matland’s ambiguity-conflict model of implementation to answer the above questions and assess the feasibility of this policy, it became apparent that while the goals are clear and defined, the approach used to achieve each goal is limiting the possibility for a greater rate of success. The study indicates that the bottom-up approach should be incorporated into the implementation process in order to maximize benefits and gain the desired results.