AN OVERVIEW OF NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT POLICIES ON COMBATING POVERTY AND FOOD INSECURITY IN NORTH-EAST ‒ NIGERIA
Sajoh Abdulazeez and Auwal Hamidu
Volume 4 Issue 1
Abstract
Poverty and food insecurity are closely linked and it forms a vicious circle and need a wide range of discourse and expositions. The concepts which have significant influence on the low-income groups in the society especially in terms of conflicts, national phenomena such as floods, storms, draught, insurgency, and banditry as witnessed in the North-East sub-region of Nigeria in states such as Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states. Federal, states and Non-Governmental Organizations have engaged in series of humanitarian assistance, especially in areas of food security, poverty eradication, and accommodation for vulnerable citizens in Nigeria’s North-East in particular. Poverty and hunger have been identified as an endemic and can affect individual progress and nation's development. Therefore, this study attempt to examine an overview of Nigeria Government Policies in Combating Poverty and Food Insecurity focusing in BAY states (Borno, Adamawa and Yobe) in North-East Nigeria. In this regards, government and NGOs have adopted explicit agricultural, social and economic policies and programmes meant to combat poverty and hunger in Nigeria. The research adopts a qualitative method of data collection or Secondary sources of data and personal observation. The paper also identified that North-East is one of the regions suffering from food insecurity and poverty amidst the fuel hike, high rate of inflation increases in prices of goods and services and depreciation of Naira. The study recommends among others that, there are need to provide an enabling environment for farmers and create job opportunities through agricultural support, skill acquisitions and emergency food assistance and ensure stable Exchange rate of the national currency, the naira should be strengthened and stabilized. Finally, Nigeria government must start producing the fuel it consumes domestically, support indigenous refineries and effective coordination of various stakeholders for achieving maximum results. Keywords: Poverty, Food Insecurity, Policies, Nigeria Government, North-East
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