Investigating the impacts of climate induced migration on food security in the Sudano-Sahelian geographical region of Nigeria.

Abstract

As a complex and multifaceted phenomena, human migration has shaped and reshaped human societies and history across all regions. The drivers of human migration are diverse and interconnected, usually influenced by a combination of factors. Environmental factors are increasingly recognized as significant drivers of human migration as climate stressors like droughts, floods and extreme weather events continue to render areas uninhabitable or unsuitable for agriculture, pushing people out for better living conditions. This research aimed to investigate the impacts of climatic migration on food security in the Sudano-Sahelian region of Nigeria (Katsina and Jigawa). A Key Informant Interview (KII) was conducted using a structured questionnaire to 385 respondents in order to assess the relationship between climate induced-migration and food security in the study area. The results revealed that, about 90% (n=346) of the respondents are aware of climate variability. Climate induced migrations in the study area affects food security through reduced labor force (50%), loss of farming communities (37%) and resource competition (11%). About 36% (n=140) of the respondents believed that to mitigate climate induced migration effects on food security, investments in climate smart/resilient agriculture and irrigation systems should be employed while 27% (n=104) chose enhancing social safety nets and livelihood diversification. Overall, the relationship rating between climate induced migration and food security revealed that, about 40% (n=153) believed that the relationship is moderately negative while 136 respondents (35%) believed that the relationship is strongly negative, meaning that climate induced migration worsens the food security situation in the area. The study establishes an intricate relationship between climate induced migration and food insecurity with far-reaching implications, including heightened household hunger and food insecurity and decreased agricultural productivity and resilience. It is recommended that the government should intervene through supports in small-scale agriculture and smart agriculture to encourage local food production in order to increase food availability and access.