This narrative review paper considers the link between poverty and food security in urban and rural Nigeria, with emphasis on the economic (food availability & accessibility), social (people related factors) and environmental (effective resource use) implications. This study suggests that appropriate governance mechanisms must be put in place while developing strategies and policies to address problems of poverty and food insecurity in Nigeria. Improving infrastructure, mitigating the impact of continuing population growth, and uneven distribution of income, and identifying opportunities for education are important components to consider in developing food security policies and strategies for the Nigerian people.

The key elements, or pillars, of food security are stated as food availability, food access, food utilization, and stability. These food security pillars are often linked to food security interventions at the national, community or household level. However, if the urban ‘household’ is the unit of interest for any food security intervention, this research asks if a more holistic element, or pillar, is needed. The aim of this research has been to explore the socio-economic aspects of food security/insecurity that we have termed as a result of the research “food acquirability”. Through the use of structured questionnaires (n = 120), and analysis of the data derived from local market and supermarket settings in the city of Awka, Nigeria, the concept of food acquirability has emerged and been conceptualized and critiqued. The contribution of this paper is to frame the concept of acquirability with regard to food security in Nigeria in order to develop a better understanding of the factors that impact household urban food security/insecurity and how they can be effectively mitigated. Factors of acquirability that emerged were culture, time poverty, resource availability and cooking skills, and household food preference and meal choice.

Household poverty and food insecurity persist in Anambra State, Nigeria. Considering rural and urban food systems, this PhD study examines how food security can be improved in the study location and the mediating influence of household poverty and household decision-making in the study location, Anambra State, Nigeria. This study used the FAO construct of the four pillars of food security: availability, accessibility, utilisation and sustainability to frame the study. Using a pragmatic mixed method approach, rural and urban food systems were explored through two surveys. The surveys with 240 respondents (consumers n=120; farmers n=120) captured quantitative and some qualitative information. These surveys were supplemented by two group case interviews and other individual one to one interview sessions (n=3) that enabled discussions with farmers, food marketers, policy makers and agricultural extension providers in rural and urban areas. Findings show that in the urban location household poverty (low household income; and household decision-making (gender inequality) and weak infrastructural development are strong factors of influence on food security. In rural areas, household poverty and gender inequality (access to capital), weak infrastructural development; and inadequate extension services impact on food security. An additional pillar emerged in the study “food acquirability” as a socio-economic concept, and its impact on food security, is conceptualised, positioned and critiqued in this study. The inadequacies found within rural and urban food systems has implications for food security within and between food systems including the flow of agricultural commodities, other goods and services, and information to and from the rural and urban communities. Policy implications include that public and private investment is required for infrastructural development, both in rural and urban areas. There needs to be improvements in household incomes, promotion of gender equality, and enhancement of the national extension scheme, and research into effective urban food waste management schemes.