IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/ssefpa/v15y2023i1d10.1007_s12571-022-01312-w.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

COVID-19, food insecurity and dietary diversity of households: Survey evidence from Nigeria

Author

Listed:
  • Bedru B. Balana

    (International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI))

  • Adebayo Ogunniyi

    (International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)
    International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD))

  • Motunrayo Oyeyemi

    (International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI))

  • Adetunji Fasoranti

    (International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI))

  • Hyacinth Edeh

    (International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI))

  • Kwaw Andam

    (International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI))

Abstract

The policy measures of the government of Nigeria to restrain the spread of COVID-19, particularly in the initial three months (April – June 2020) led to significant disruptions to household livelihoods and food security. We investigate the effects of COVID-19 on food security and dietary diversity of households; focusing on the pathways through which income loss, endowments of wealth, social capital, and safety net programs moderate the severity of households’ food security and dietary diversity. Primary data obtained from a telephone survey of 1,031 Nigerian households were analyzed using ordered logit and negative binomial models. Our results show that income losses due to the COVID-19 restrictive measures had pushed households into a more severe food insecurity and less diverse nutritional outcomes. Regarding wealth effects, livestock ownership significantly cushioned households from falling into a more severe food insecurity amid the pandemic. We found that because of the pandemic’s indiscriminate effect across communities, the potential of social capital as an informal support mechanism might have been eroded to enable households to cope with shocks. Furthermore, safety net programs by the government and NGOs did not provide significant protection to households from falling into severe food insecurity and malnutrition amid the pandemic. We suggest three policy propositions – prioritize investment in local job creation to curb income loss; build the wealth base of households (e.g., land tenure security or livestock) to enhance resilience to shocks; and target safety nets and other social support programs spatially, temporally, and across social groups to enhance the effectiveness of such programs amid shocks.

Suggested Citation

  • Bedru B. Balana & Adebayo Ogunniyi & Motunrayo Oyeyemi & Adetunji Fasoranti & Hyacinth Edeh & Kwaw Andam, 2023. "COVID-19, food insecurity and dietary diversity of households: Survey evidence from Nigeria," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 15(1), pages 219-241, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:ssefpa:v:15:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1007_s12571-022-01312-w
    DOI: 10.1007/s12571-022-01312-w
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s12571-022-01312-w
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s12571-022-01312-w?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mulwa, Chalmers K. & Visser, Martine, 2020. "Farm diversification as an adaptation strategy to climatic shocks and implications for food security in northern Namibia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).
    2. Mulubrhan Amare & Channing Arndt & Kristi Mahrt & George Mavrotas, 2021. "Polygynous Family Structure and Child Undernutrition in Nigeria," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 57(10), pages 1640-1661, October.
    3. Balana, Bedru B. & Oyeyemi, Motunrayo A. & Ogunniyi, Adebayo I. & Fasoranti, Adetunji & Edeh, Hyacinth & Aiki, Joel & Andam, Kwaw S., 2020. "The effects of COVID-19 policies on livelihoods and food security of smallholder farm households in Nigeria: Descriptive results from a phone survey," IFPRI discussion papers 1979, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    4. Mahmud, Mahreen & Riley, Emma, 2021. "Household response to an extreme shock: Evidence on the immediate impact of the Covid-19 lockdown on economic outcomes and well-being in rural Uganda," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    5. Mbugua, Mercy & Nzuma, Jonathan, 2020. "Effect of social networks on household dietary diversity: Evidence from smallholder farmers in Kisii and Nyamira counties, Kenya," African Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, African Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 15(3), September.
    6. Saeed Nosratabadi & Nesrine Khazami & Marwa Ben Abdallah & Zoltan Lackner & Shahab S. Band & Amir Mosavi & Csaba Mako, 2020. "Social Capital Contributions to Food Security: A Comprehensive Literature Review," Papers 2012.03606, arXiv.org.
    7. Oluwatoyin Matthew & Anthonia Adeniji & Romanus Osabohien & Tomike Olawande & Tolulope Atolagbe, 2020. "Gender Inequality, Maternal Mortality and Inclusive Growth in Nigeria," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 147(3), pages 763-780, February.
    8. Ogunniyi Adebayo & Kehinde Olagunju & Salman K. Kabir & Ogundipe Adeyemi, 2016. "Social Crisis, Terrorism and Food Poverty Dynamics: Evidence from Northern Nigeria," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 6(4), pages 1865-1872.
    9. Amare, Mulubrhan & Balana, Bedru & Ogunniyi, Adebayo, 2020. "The role of agriculture in reducing child undernutrition in Nigeria," NSSP working papers 62, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    10. Zewdie Birhanu & Argaw Ambelu & Negalign Berhanu & Abraraw Tesfaye & Kifle Woldemichael, 2017. "Understanding Resilience Dimensions and Adaptive Strategies to the Impact of Recurrent Droughts in Borana Zone, Oromia Region, Ethiopia: A Grounded Theory Approach," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(2), pages 1-18, January.
    11. repec:zbw:bofrdp:2020_011 is not listed on IDEAS
    12. Peterson K. Ozili, 2020. "COVID-19 pandemic and economic crisis: the Nigerian experience and structural causes," Journal of Economic and Administrative Sciences, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 37(4), pages 401-418, October.
    13. Caggiano, Giovanni & Castelnuovo, Efrem & Kima, Richard, 2020. "The global effects of Covid-19-induced uncertainty," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 194(C).
    14. Xiaohua Yu & Chang Liu & Hanjie Wang & Jan-Henning Feil, 2020. "The impact of COVID-19 on food prices in China: evidence of four major food products from Beijing, Shandong and Hubei Provinces," China Agricultural Economic Review, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 12(3), pages 445-458, June.
    15. Pierre‐André Chiappori & Krislert Samphantharak & Sam Schulhofer‐Wohl & Robert M. Townsend, 2014. "Heterogeneity and risk sharing in village economies," Quantitative Economics, Econometric Society, vol. 5, pages 1-27, March.
    16. Smith, Lisa C. & Frankenberger, Timothy R., 2018. "Does Resilience Capacity Reduce the Negative Impact of Shocks on Household Food Security? Evidence from the 2014 Floods in Northern Bangladesh," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 358-376.
    17. Stefan Dercon & Catherine Porter, 2014. "Live Aid Revisited: Long-Term Impacts Of The 1984 Ethiopian Famine On Children," Journal of the European Economic Association, European Economic Association, vol. 12(4), pages 927-948, August.
    18. Donatella Saccone, 2021. "Can the Covid19 pandemic affect the achievement of the ‘Zero Hunger’ goal? Some preliminary reflections," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 22(7), pages 1025-1038, September.
    19. Dang, Hai-Anh H. & Viet Nguyen, Cuong, 2021. "Gender inequality during the COVID-19 pandemic: Income, expenditure, savings, and job loss," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    20. Philomina Okeke-Ihejirika & Temitope B. Oriola & Bukola Salami & Michael Obiefune & Nwene Ejike & Ayodotun Olutola & Omolola Irinoye, 2020. "Beyond poverty fixation: interrogating the experiences of internally displaced persons in Nigeria," Third World Quarterly, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 41(9), pages 1476-1497, September.
    21. Adewale M. Ogunmodede & Mary O. Ogunsanwo & Victor Manyong, 2020. "Unlocking the Potential of Agribusiness in Africa through Youth Participation: An Impact Evaluation of N-Power Agro Empowerment Program in Nigeria," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(14), pages 1-18, July.
    22. Stephen Devereux & Christophe Béné & John Hoddinott, 2020. "Conceptualising COVID-19’s impacts on household food security," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 12(4), pages 769-772, August.
    23. Xiaohua Yu & Chang Liu & Hanjie Wang & Jan-Henning Feil, 2020. "The impact of COVID-19 on food prices in China: evidence of four major food products from Beijing, Shandong and Hubei Provinces," China Agricultural Economic Review, Emerald Group Publishing, vol. 12(3), pages 445-458, June.
    24. Devereux, Stephen, 2016. "Social protection for enhanced food security in sub-Saharan Africa," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 52-62.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Sowon Jung & Jieun Shin & Myoungsook Lee, 2023. "The Health and Nutritional Status of Children (10–18 years) Belonging to Food Insecure Households: The Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2012–2019)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(17), pages 1-15, August.
    2. Weni. K. Igirigi & Toinpre C. Titus & Benjamin Goodnews Ishmael, 2024. "Household Sustainability During COVID-19: Investigating Shifts in Food, Water and Energy Consumption Behaviours in Bayelsa State, Nigeria," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 8(1), pages 365-376, January.
    3. Huidan Xue & Yujia Zhai & Wen-Hao Su & Ziling He, 2023. "Governance and Actions for Resilient Urban Food Systems in the Era of COVID-19: Lessons and Challenges in China," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-25, August.
    4. Assem Abu Hatab & Lena Krautscheid & Mohamed Elsayied & Franklin Amuakwa-Mensah, 2024. "COVID-19 risk perception and food security in the MENA region: evidence from a multi-wave household survey," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 16(4), pages 989-1008, August.
    5. Regassa, Mekdim D. & Esenaliev, Damir & Tzvetkova, Milena & Baliki, Ghassan & Schreiner, Monika & Stojetz, Wolfgang & Brück, Tilman, 2024. "The impacts of exposure to COVID-19 on food security and diet diversity in Africa," IAAE 2024 Conference, August 2-7, 2024, New Delhi, India 344321, International Association of Agricultural Economists (IAAE).
    6. Olutosin Ademola Otekunrin & Ridwan Mukaila & Oluwaseun Aramide Otekunrin, 2023. "Investigating and Quantifying Food Insecurity in Nigeria: A Systematic Review," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-38, September.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Balana, Bedru B. & Oyeyemi, Motunrayo & Ogunniyi, Adebayo & Fasoranti, Adetunji & Edeh, Hyacinth & Andam, Kwaw, 2022. "Have households’ livelihoods and food security rebounded from COVID-19 shocks in Nigeria? Results from a follow-up phone survey," 96th Annual Conference, April 4-6, 2022, K U Leuven, Belgium 321205, Agricultural Economics Society - AES.
    2. Joseph B. Ajefu & Ayse Demir & Padmali Rodrigo, 2023. "Covid-19-induced Shocks, Access to Basic Needs and Coping Strategies," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 35(6), pages 1347-1368, December.
    3. Ouoba, Youmanli & Sawadogo, Natéwindé, 2022. "Food security, poverty and household resilience to COVID-19 in Burkina Faso: Evidence from urban small traders’ households," World Development Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 25(C).
    4. Agunyai Samuel Chukwudi & Ojakorotu Victor, 2022. "Budgetary Allocations and Government Response to COVID-19 Pandemic in South Africa and Nigeria," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-18, June.
    5. Mahmud, Mahreen & Riley, Emma, 2021. "Household response to an extreme shock: Evidence on the immediate impact of the Covid-19 lockdown on economic outcomes and well-being in rural Uganda," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    6. Rosa Luz Durán, 2022. "COVID-19 and heterogeneous vulnerabilities in the Peruvian labor market: implications for social inequalities and for gender gaps," Economia Politica: Journal of Analytical and Institutional Economics, Springer;Fondazione Edison, vol. 39(1), pages 129-156, April.
    7. Chakravorty, Bhaskar & Bhatiya, Apurav Yash & Imbert, Clément & Lohnert, Maximilian & Panda, Poonam & Rathelot, Roland, 2023. "Impact of the COVID-19 crisis on India’s rural youth: Evidence from a panel survey and an experiment," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 168(C).
    8. Abiodun Olusola Omotayo & Abeeb Babatunde Omotoso & Saidat Adebola Daud & Oluwadara Pelumi Omotayo & Babatunde Afeez Adeniyi, 2022. "Rising Food Prices and Farming Households Food Insecurity during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Policy Implications from SouthWest Nigeria," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-20, March.
    9. Ann M. Furbush & Anna Josephson & Talip Kilic & Jeffrey D. Michler, 2024. "Coping or Hoping? Livelihood Diversification and Food Insecurity in the COVID-19 Pandemic," Papers 2409.02285, arXiv.org.
    10. Martin Paul Jr. Tabe-Ojong & Emmanuel Nshakira-Rukundo & Bisrat Haile Gebrekidan, 2023. "COVID-19 and food insecurity in Africa: A review of the emerging empirical evidence," European Review of Agricultural Economics, Oxford University Press and the European Agricultural and Applied Economics Publications Foundation, vol. 50(3), pages 853-878.
    11. Cai, Xiaowei & Volpe, Richard & Barraza, Fernando, 2024. "Farmland Values in California: Pre- and Post-COVID-19 Perspectives," Journal of the ASFMRA, American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers, vol. 2024, January.
    12. Dang, Hai-Anh H. & Nguyen, Cuong Viet & Carletto, Calogero, 2023. "Did a successful fight against COVID-19 come at a cost? Impacts of the pandemic on employment outcomes in Vietnam," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    13. Natéwindé Sawadogo & Youmanli Ouoba, 2023. "COVID-19, food coping strategies and households resilience: the case of informal sector in Burkina Faso," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 15(4), pages 1041-1056, August.
    14. Koppiahraj Karuppiah & Bathrinath Sankaranarayanan & Syed Mithun Ali, 2022. "Modeling Impacts of COVID-19 in Supply Chain Activities: A Grey-DEMATEL Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-21, October.
    15. Younas Khan & Umar Daraz & Štefan Bojnec, 2023. "Enhancing Food Security and Nutrition through Social Safety Nets: A Pathway to Sustainable Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(19), pages 1-13, September.
    16. Nan Li & Muzi Chen & Difang Huang, 2022. "How Do Logistics Disruptions Affect Rural Households? Evidence from COVID-19 in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-17, December.
    17. Zbigniew Malara & Rafal Misko, 2021. "The SMEs in a Pandemic Period in Poland," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(2 - Part ), pages 748-754.
    18. Apeh, Dr Oliver, O., 2024. "The Food‑Energy‑Water Nexus Optimization: A Systematic Literature Review," Research on World Agricultural Economy, Nan Yang Academy of Sciences Pte Ltd (NASS), vol. 5(4), October.
    19. Guo, Jianxin & Jin, Songqing & Zhao, Jichun & Wang, Hongbiao & Zhao, Fang, 2022. "Has COVID-19 accelerated the E-commerce of agricultural products? Evidence from sales data of E-stores in China," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 112(C).
    20. Elmallakh, Nelly & Wodon, Quentin, 2021. "Climate Shocks, Migration, and Labor Markets: A Gender Analysis from West Africa," GLO Discussion Paper Series 950, Global Labor Organization (GLO).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:ssefpa:v:15:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1007_s12571-022-01312-w. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.