The Link Between Maternal Health And Women’S Food Security In Rural Communities: Case Study Of Smallholder Farmers In Nigeria

The interaction between household food security, maternal health and child nutritional status is well documented but the empirical evidence seems to be limited. The study examined maternal health and household food security in Patigi Local Government Area of Kwara State, Nigeria. A multistage sampling technique was adopted in selecting total of 112 respondents. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multinomial regression model. The result revealed that most of the households were male-headed. The mean age of household heads was 34 years. About 82 percent of the respondents were married; only 42 percent were educated up to secondary school level and 46 percent were farmers with an estimated average monthly income of less than N20,000.00. The food security index showed that 77 percent were moderately food secure and about 66 percent of households skip meals because of insufficient funds to buy food. The food security status of households worsened with increase in household size; women within the age range of 35-39 years experienced a high degree of food insecurity. The results from the multinomial regression analysis revealed that income (p<0.1), education (p<0.01) and household size (p<0.01) are factors that determine the likelihood of being food insecure or secure. It also showed the effect of maternal health variables on households’ food security status; the frequency of illness (p<0,01) could decrease food security. The findings suggest that existing policies aimed at improving maternal health and ensuring food security should be monitored and evaluated for effective impact and should be more aggressively implemented. Also education, income generation and health policies specific to women are necessary to transform women’s food security status.