Strategies for Solving World Food Crisis: Lessons, Constraints and Opportunities for Nigeria

Abstract

The two-sided economic down-turn and food crisis being experienced in many parts of the world has become a concern of many world leaders and peoples. The Malthusian theory is gradually steering many pessimists in the face as food production is nothing to compare with the population growth in many parts of the world. While poverty, insecurity and diseases pandemics are manifested in many facets of human life, food crisis is compounding the situation. The well-articulated Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) is almost half its deadline (2015) but the battle for control of severe poverty and deprivation is far from being won. Some notable factors responsible for food crisis are noted. Empirical examples of countries suffering from the problem of food insecurity and the repercussions on the national life are examined. Over many years now, different kinds of strategies have been employed to improve agricultural production in many countries of the world. Some recent approaches/strategies employed toward containing food crisis are reviewed and suggestions put forward for consideration. This paper presents a position, tracing the issues that contribute to food crisis, some strategies toward alleviating them and using Nigeria as a focal point. For, food security can only be assured if only majority of the people of the world are given that status.