Food Aid: it’s Effect and Result on Household Food Security: Case Study of Agege Local Government Area, Lagos State in Nigeria
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Date
2011-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
This Research study basically examined and analyzed the effect and result of food aid on
household food security in Agege local government area, Lagos in Nigeria. The region
was chosen because it goes through so many struggles; the government does not do much
where these people are concerned. There is persistent drought, poverty, illiteracy, all of
which exists due to both man made and natural causes. The major objective of this
research was to critically get information of recipient households on Food aid including
their own perception of Food aid. This research also aimed to find out various things
including how often or not these chosen region gets food aid and the major difficulties
associated with getting food aid in the first place. The underlying causes or reasons why
it is difficult to get food that is meant to be free in the first place (Emergency/ Relief Food
aid) was also analyzed.
The materials and information that made up this research paper was gathered from
different places and it was done by employing both primary and secondary data, NGO’s
and governmental organizations contributed tremendously including The Ministry of
Works and Housing, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Food Security Centre (Nigeria), the
Nigerian Food Reserve and Operation Feed the Nation. The Coping/ Survival Strategies
of the region was also assessed and as suspected, many households starved themselves so
that they would have something to consume in the future, rationing and eating smaller
portion was also widely employed in the region.
The study showed that 64.5% of the total households were food insecure, but upon the
collection of food aid, their food insecurity level reduced to 55.5%. The households also
had a very positive attitude towards food aid in reducing their food security problem.
Overall, most of the households appreciated the fact that they were able to get food from
outside as they loudly pointed out how difficult it would have been to survive on their own
without outside intervention.
With regards to the influence of Food Aid on Agriculture, 60% said that food aid had no
influence on Agriculture, while only 8% said that it did have an influence on agriculture.
It is therefore suggested that among other things, beneficiary engagement in the process
of food and carefully designed Food For Work programs, careful targeting, limiting food
aid to those who are not very much in dire need of food aid, for the fact that some
households receive food aid even when they do not need it, due to lack of management
within the system by those in charge of distributing food aid, creating off farm
employment opportunities and effective use of food aid resources could help to better
household food security and food aid effect in Agege
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Keywords
Food Security