Food Security and Coping Strategies of Selected Villages along River Rima Affected by Flood in Sokoto State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study evaluated the food security and coping strategies of selected villages along River Rima affected by flood in Sokoto State, Nigeria. Eighty respondents were randomly selected across three out of nine local governments affected. Data were collected by the use of interview schedule. Descriptive Statistic, food Security Index and Coping Strategy Index (CSI) were used to analyse data collected. In total sample households, the incidence of food security, average food insecurity gap (depth) and square of food insecurity gap (severity) are 59%, 0.33 and 0.007 respectively. Results further revealed that among the coping strategies adopted by households due to flood, relying on less preferred and less expensive foods was the most common adopted while the least adopted by households was skipping whole days without meals. The study concludes that food insecurity in the study area is high and pronounced thus, a special intervention needs to be put in place either by Government or other donor agencies.