The Implications of Food Insecurity, Poverty and Hunger on Nigeria’s National Security

Abstract

Globally, food and nutrition adequacy are facing critical challenges occasioned by climate change scenarios, sharply rising food demand to falling supply, neglect of investment in agriculture, and high cost of production. All these have serious implications on rising insecurity and conflict-induced instability in many countries. Further, an increasing poverty level among the people is a stress-factor as well as a precursor of violence. The thrust of this study is to examine the implications of food insecurity, poverty and hunger on Nigeria’s national security. The relative deprivation theory was adopted to explain the reactions of people when they feel that there is a discrepancy between the ‘ought’ and the ‘is’ of collective value satisfaction. Data were generated using secondary sources. The paper argues that reinstalling peace and security in Nigeria can only be achieved through careful identification and proper address of causal factors. The paper recommends, among others; that there should be improved agricultural productivity through the encouragement of research and application of modern technologies.