Food Security in Nigeria: The Role of Peasant Farmers in Nigeria

Abstract

Food security has become an issue of global concern in the recent time. Nigeria, with her huge endowed natural and human resources is not spared. Nigerian food crisis is a product of colonial disorientation that has led to neglect of the peasant agriculture and food crops sub-sector as well as over reliance on cash crops production and the oil sector. Nigeria still has the potentials to be food-secure if the following strategies are adopted and implemented: rural development, provision of easy access to basic farm inputs, adequate budgetary allocations to agriculture particularly to the food crop sub-sector, enunciation of appropriate policies for food crop sub-sector, political stability, reduction in rural poverty, and peasant farmers‟ education.

Key Words: Food security, Disorientation, Peasant farmers, Role, Strategies