The impact of COVID-19 on Nigerian food systems

Abstract

The Nigerian food system is facing major challenges with high population growth, a high number of people living in extreme poverty, rapid urbanization, and stagnating agricultural productivity. Socioeconomic status is a key indicator of the Nigerian food system. This paper aims to examine the impact of COVID-19 on Nigerian food systems. These reviews were obtained from white papers written by organizations like the United Nations (UN), and other studies on food systems, agriculture, and the socioeconomic status of Nigerians concerning the COVID-19 pandemic were reviewed. In recent years, the world has recorded several incidences of disasters that have disrupted the food system, leading to evidence of food insecurity. The most recent is the outbreak of COVID-19, which is more than just a disease. It resulted in the combined disruption of global economic and social stability. The food system and all that is dependent on it were severely affected by COVID-19. The global situation of poverty and malnutrition was exacerbated as a result of the direct and indirect impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In a phone interview, it was recorded that 37% of Nigerian households experienced a drastic drop in income, pushing many to the brink or into the threshold of poverty. Many of the Nigerians interviewed agreed that the quantity and quality of their diet had diminished in comparison to the same period in the previous year. Another survey in Nigeria reported that 23.8% of its respondents reduced the portion of their meals, 20.8% reduced their frequency from 3 to 2 meals per day, and 13.8% substituted highly nutritious foods with less nutritious and cheaper ones to cope with hunger during the Pandemic. To cushion the impact of COVID-19 on Nigeria's food systems, there is a need to reinforce the existing incentives for restructuring Nigeria's economy away from reliance on oil. Further, remittances from other countries would also contribute towards the development of local sectors such as agriculture and food manufacturing companies, which can generate employment and feed Nigeria’s growing population. Also, the development of the agro-food system will necessitate investments in research and rural infrastructure. In this way, federal and state policies can aid recovery from COVID-19 and help Nigeria build more resilient food systems.