Analysis of food security and nutritional status of artisanal fishing communities in Kogi State, North central Nigeria: USDA Food Security Questionnaire Core Module approach
1 Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, Faculty of Agriculture, Kogi State University Anyigba, P.M.B. 1008, Anyigba, Kogi State, Nigeria.
2 Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Faculty of Agriculture, Kogi State University Anyigba, P.M.B. 1008, Anyigba, Kogi State, Nigeria.
3 Federal Inland Revenue Service, Lagos Main Land East Region, Ikeja, Lagos State, Nigeria.
Research Article
World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2023, 20(02), 1098–1113
Article DOI: 10.30574/wjarr.2023.20.2.2356
Publication history:
Received on 25 September 2023; revised on 18 November 2023; accepted on 20 November 2023
Abstract:
This study evaluated the food security and nutritional condition of households that engage in artisanal fishing in Kogi State North Central, Nigeria. The information for the study was gathered using a standardized questionnaire through a multistage sampling approach from a total number of 399 artisanal fishing households across the fishing communities in the research area. Descriptive statistics and an ordered probit regression model were used to evaluate the data. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) 18-item core module questionnaire was used to determine the respondents' food security status, and the Household Dietary Diversity Scores (HDDS) were calculated using data from 16 food groups. Mean age of the fisherfolks was 42 years. They were mostly married (74.19%), male dominated (61.15%), with average household size of 8 persons. More than half (57.14%) utilized hook and line, cages (20.80%) and (42.86%) Dugout plank canoe. The result of the study revealed that (55.89%) of the respondents oscillate between High and Marginal Food Security while (27.07%) and (17.04%) of them were within the Low Food Security (LFS) and Very Low Food Security (VLFS) respectively. Age, marital status, educational status, years of fishing experience, household size and membership of association were factors influencing the level of food security and nutritional status of the artisanal fishers in the study area. The result revealed that close to half (44.11%) of the fishing households were entrapped in the Low Food Secure (LFS) and Very Low Food Secure (VLFS) category. The study findings also revealed that the nutritional status was good as (49.12%) of them were in the High Dietary Diversity category (HDD). The study recommended that strategies aimed on increasing food and nutrition security are needed in fishing communities in the country.
Keywords:
Artisanal fishers; Food security; Nutrition; Households; Kogi State; Nigeria
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