FOOD AND WATER ACCESS PREDICTORS OF
FOOD SECURITY AMONG RURAL HOUSEHOLDS
IN LANGAI DISTRICT, NORTH-CENTRAL NIGERIA

Philip Adewale Adeoye¹, Tolulope Olumide Afolaranmi^{1, 2}, Mathilda Edmond Banwat^{1, 2}
Esther Oluwapelumi Adeleke³, Afolabi Oladejo⁴ and Daniel A. Ogundijo⁵

¹Jos University Teaching Hospital, Department of Community Medicine
  Jos, Nigeria
²University of Jos, Department of Community Medicine
  Jos, Nigeria
³Benue State University, Centre for Food Technology and Research
  Makurdi, Nigeria
⁴Federal College of Forestry, Department of Pest Management Technology
  Jos, Nigeria
⁵University of Bedfordshire, Department of Food and Nutrition Science
  Luton, United Kingdom

INDECS 22(2), 198-211, 2024 DOI 10.7906/indecs.22.2.4 Full text available in pdf format.

Received: 14th November 2023. Accepted: 27th April 2024. Regular article

ABSTRACT

Research has shown that food insecurity in households and communities are increasing globally. More people are reported to now having difficulty in accessing safe and quality foods. This study assessed household food and water access as predictors of food security among rural households. This is a cross sectional community survey which used validated tools to collect data among 201 households representing a total population of 1284 in Langai district. Levels of household food and water access were determined; and factors associated with food security were assessed using chi-square. Predictors of food security was assessed using multivariable logistic regression. P < 0,05 was adjudged significant. About 90 % of households own a farm; with almost two-thirds (62,2 %) of households acquiring their food from both self-production and market; and 73,6 % engaging in household agriculture. The majority (82,1 %) of the households sourced their water from boreholes and pipe-borne sources. Significant predictors of food security were lower expenditure on food (AOR: 2,19 [95 % CI: 1,5-4,61]; P = 0,038); not engaged in household agriculture (AOR: 2,88 [95 % CI: 1,09-7,59]; P = 0,032); had access to pipe borne/borehole water (AOR: 2,76 [95 % CI: 1,15-6,44]; P = 0,023) and experienced little or no adverse coping behaviour (AOR: 6,07 [95 % CI: 1,74-21,23]; P = 0,005). Time did not influence food acquisition in the majority of the households. As reported and showcased in this study, the relationship between food security and rural household development is directly proportional in many local communities of a developing country. Efforts should be garnered towards rural household empowerment through improvement in livelihood and security to have sustainable foods and water.

KEY WORDS
food security, water supply, psychological adaptation, food expenditure, household agriculture

CLASSIFICATION

JEL:	D12, Q18, Q25, R20