ABSTRACT
Food security is also said to exist when all people at all times have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active life. This work was aimed at assessing food and nutrition security level of households living in urban setting of Portharcourt. The study was a descriptive cross-sectional study. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select a total of 390 households. Data on socioeconomic characteristics, dietary diversity, food security, factors affecting food security were collected using structured and validated questionnaire. Anthropometric status of mother and infants 0-5 years were determined using standard procedures. The SPSS version 20.0 computer programme was used to analyze the data. The findings of the study revealed that a good number (34.0%) of the respondents were within the age range of 31 – 40 years, where majority (79.5%) of the households head are men. A good number of them where traders (30.5%) and civil servants (38.7%), while majority of them (79.0%) were educated. The findings of the study showed that over 50.8% of the households are food secure while 23% were mildly food insecure, 17.0% were moderately food insecure and only very small portion (8.8%) of them were severely food insecure . Major factors affecting food security were found to include cost (32.1%), health implication (21.8%), availability and accessibility (11%). The findings from this study revealed that 7.1% of the infants were stunted, 18.8% were underweight and 10.4% were wasted. The study also indicated that there is a strong significant relationship between most socioeconomic characteristics of households in Portharcourt and food security measures. There is a significant relationship between food security of households and their occupation (p = 0.012), monthly income (p = 0.000) and family size (p = 0.001) and level of education. Similarly, food insecurity was also significantly related to monthly income (p=0.000) and family size (p = 0.007). Enlightenment campaigns should be conducted to educate the urban households on how to improve and sustain food security in their respective households.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page i
Certification ii
Dedication iii
Acknowledgments iv
Table of contents v
List of tables viii
Abstract ix
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of study 1
1.2 Statement of problem 2
1.3 Objectives of study 4
1.4 Significance of study 4
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Nutrition security in Nigeria 5
2.10 Causes of food insecurity in Nigeria 6
2.2 Food security in urban population 8
2.2.1 Nutrition security of urban population a call for attention and joint action 9
2.3 Urban food security 15
2.3.1 Basic issues 15
2.3.2 Urbanization and food security in Nigeria 17
2.4 Food insecurity in rapidly urbanizing nations 19
2.4.1 Urbanization, urban space and urban poverty 21
2.4.2 Urbanization of hunger and malnutrition 23
2.4.3 Income, poverty and food insecurity 24
2.4.4 The non-income dimension of urban food insecurity 26
2.4.5 Informal food retailers 28
CHAPTER 3: MATERIALS AND METHODS
3.1 Study design 31
3.2 Area of study 31
3.3 Population of the study 31
3.4 Sampling and sampling techniques 31
3.5 Preliminary activities
3.5.1 Preliminary visit 32
3.5.2 Training of research assistants 33
3.6 Data collection 33
3.6.1 Questionnaire administration 33
3.6.2 Interview 33
3.6.3 Anthropometric measurements 33
3.6.3.1 Height 33
3.6.3.2 Weight 34
3.6.3.3 Mid upper arm circumference 34
3.7 Data analysis 34
3.7.1 Body mass index 34
3.8 Statistical analysis 35
CHAPTER FOUR: RESULT AND DISCUSSION 4.1 Socio-economic characteristics of the respondents 40
4.2 Food security module 42
4.3 Feeding pattern 46
4.4 Factors affecting food security 47
CHAPTER FIVE: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMNDATION
5.1 Conclusion 55
5.1 Conclusion 55
5.2 Recommendation 56
REFERENCES
Appendix 1
Appendix 2
Appendix 3
LIST OF TABLES
3.7.1 Body Mass Table 39
4.1: Socioeconomic Characteristic of households 41
4.2a: Food Security Module 43
4.2b: Food Security Module contd. 44
4.2c: Food Security Module contd. 45
4.3: Feeding Pattern 47
4.4 Factors affecting food security 47
4.5 Anthropometric status of mothers and infants 50
4.6 Anthropometric status of infants
4.8: Correlation between socioeconomic characteristics and food and nutrition security status of households 53
4.9: The Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES) 53
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Food and nutrition security has been a major issue in most developing countries which has been a major cause of malnutrition and several nutrition deficiencies, (FAO, 2013). An individual is considered food secure when such person does not live in hunger or fear of starvation. Food and nutrition security exist among individuals when they have enough food for an active and healthy life. Food security is also said to exist when all people at all times have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active life, (Food and Agriculture Organization, 2013). Food is said to be secure based on its availability (having sufficient quantities of appropriate food available), accessibility (having adequate income or other resources to access food) and utilization (having adequate dietary intake and the ability to absorb and use nutrient in the body).
Study has shown that 842 million people in the world do not have enough to eat and this number has fallen by 17 percent since 1990 (FAO, 2013). Studies have also shown that poor nutrition causes nearly half (45%) of deaths in children under five years which is about 3.1 million children each year (Lancet, 2013). In Nigeria, not less then 70% of the population is surviving on less than a dollar per day while food insecurity prevalence in the low income urban households and rural areas respectively stands at 79% and 71% (Matemilola and Elegbede ,2017).
1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
Food and nutrition security has been proven to be a problem in most developing countries and most times even in the developed countries, the issues has lead to so many nutrition and health problems and in most cases results to infection to both the old and the young. Although food insecurity is a global phenomenon, it is more prevalent in the developing nations including Nigeria and more dominant most times in the urban regions of the country due to changes associated in the discovery of oil (Otaha,2013). Unemployment and lack of nutrition education has also been a contributing factor to the risk of food insecurity in the nation. Food security is a phenomenon which is multidimensional with economic, environmental and social aspects. Unfortunately, the greater share of the population of the undernourished is located in the developing countries. Although the total population of the food insecure people in Asia outweighs that of Africa, 18 out of 23 nations where undernourishment is prevalent are from Africa (Ogbonna et al, 2013). Food is no doubt, the most basic of all human survival needs. Although, so many efforts have been sunk in improving the quality as well as production of world food supplies, food insecurity remains prevalent, particularly in the global southern nations of Asia and Africa, and in Nigeria, malnutrition has resulted in death of many of its citizens. African Food Security Briefs (AFSB) estimated that approximately one out of every three persons in the sub-Saharan Africa is undernourished (Akerele et al, 2013).
Food security is a multifaceted problem and failure to ensure food security has unavoidably resulted in many social problems including civil unrest and riots in many major cities of the world ( Behnassi et al, 2007). The government has been a major contributor to this problem, Behnassi et al (2011) While Nigeria only has a fixed area of arable land, with its growing population stretching land availability to a limit that will not be able to sustain the increasing population, the government is not helping by using the farmlands for other purposes. The problem of gender inequality is another driving force of food security as 60% of global chronically hungry people are women and girls (Otaha, 2013), The role of women in ensuring adequate land use, as well as food processing, distribution and marketing cannot be over emphasized, unfortunately women often deprived access to agricultural assets, input, and services when compared to men (Otaha, 2013). Global changing climate is another important driver of food insecurity that cannot be underestimated, excessive rain or flood has a significant impact on the current hike in food prices. Flooding can cause massive infrastructure destruction loss of stored food leading to inflation of food prices (Ilaboya, 2012). All this and lots more have been identified as major factors of food insecurity.
It is been assumed that people who resides in the urban environment are ought to be more food secured than those in the rural area , but with factors like lack of farmland, high price of afresh food, flooding etc has made people in this urban communities food insecure. Most times even those that are financially fit don’t have the nutrition knowledge of the available food due to their poor nutrition knowledge which affects their food selection and this acts as a limitation towards attaining food and nutrition security.
Cost of living is a major problem in the urban setting (Portharcout), people tend to pay more attention in finding a means of survivals then they need for a more healthier living. Most times this food are very much available in the city of Portharcourt but the major problem are there prices, thereby pushing residents who are not so financially buoyant to settle for the less, all these are reason why I am very interested to find out for myself from the households of Portharcourt their major issue of food security an and best way forward to improve the situation.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The general objective of the study is to ascertain the food and nutrition insecurity level of individuals living in an urban setting (Portharcourt)
The specific objectives of the study include:
i. To determine the socio-economic status of households living in Portharcourt.
ii. To determine the factors that affect food and nutrition insecurity in the households living in Portharcourt.
iii. To assess the food and nutrition security of households living in Portharcourt using food security module.
iv. To determine the anthropometric status of households living in Portharcourt.
v. To determine the relationship between socio-economic status and food and nutrition security status in the households.
1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY
This study will help identify the major problem of food and nutrition security in the country and also identifying the best approach to solve them. It will also help us to determine the particular population at higher risk and at the same time help outline the major contributor of food and nutrition insecurity in the country. The information that will be obtained from this study can help the health agencies to determine on what particular aspect to focus on during their various health and medical interventions. It will also help the agricultural section of the nation such as the farmers to understand the importance of food diversifications and also the biotechnologist in the modification and enhancement of nutrients in food thereby improving agricultural products. Information obtained from this study can also help the government agency such as the ministry of health in making appropriate decision concerning the health of the citizens. It will also make the ministry of agriculture ensure that maximum production, distribution and accessibility of agricultural products is being carried out effectively in the states. This study will also convince policy makers make appropriate policies concerning food that will be of high benefit to the population at large. Finally this study is basically beneficial to the masses, individuals, households and communities to be able to utilize these foods appropriately when it is made available and accessible. This study would provide information about food and nutrition security among household living in the urban setting, enabling nutritionist and dietitians to know how best to manage food insecurity problems among households within the urban setting.
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