The continent of Africa is blessed with natural resources and most especially large expanse of land area suitable for agricultural production. But despite this huge deposit of untapped resources and opportunities in the continent, it is very appalling to know that many of the countries in Africa are homes to the poorest of the poor and vulnerable people across the globe. The continent is faced with multi-faceted problems of insecurity arising from the activities of violent extremists and marginalized sect, decaying infrastructural facilities exacerbated by corruption and prolonged neglect, rising youth unemployment occasioned by bad governance and inadequate planning coupled with dwindling income resulting from poor and inadequate production technologies. However, in spite of the worsening food crisis situation and constraints to agricultural transformation in Africa, agriculture, which is the main source of livelihood for most Africans (especially those residing in the rural areas) remains the economic nerve centre considering its contribution to the African economy in terms of labor employment and share of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Thus, the task of poverty reduction in Africa portends a moving target as the number of poor and undernourished people keeps increasing. This paper therefore examined the link between agriculture and poverty in Africa. The problems and prospects of African agriculture were x-rayed, the poverty situation in Africa and the likely causes were also highlighted. The paper suggests a bottom-up (also called community-driven development) approach to policy formulation through involvement of farmers in policy discussions at both national and international levels starting from project/problem identification to evaluation. There is the need for partnerships between government and private sector in the area of input and infrastructure provision. This is very important considering the fact that government alone can no longer shoulder the responsibility of providing and maintaining infrastructures due to declining revenue. Farm level processing and value addition should be encouraged by government through the provision of enabling environment and farmers should endeavour to join and participate in cooperative activities so as to enhance their access to credit, markets and benefit from collective bargaining power in terms of input acquisition and getting support from government and prospective funders.

Economic growth and poverty reduction now take the centre stage in most global policy discourse. This is coming at a time that the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are fast gaining global relevance. Africa has witnessed the highest but non-inclusive level of growth in the last decade because the continent still grapples with high unemployment rate especially among the youths. This paper therefore examines some drivers of and constraints to growth and poverty reduction in Africa. The paper focused on Africa by using secondary data sourced from different such as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Transparency International (TI), Institute of Economics and Peace (IEP) and National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reports and Annual Abstract of Statistics. Analytical methods employed were mainly descriptive statistics and comparative statistics. Findings showed that economic growth recorded in the continent is a ‘jobless’ one advancing inequality and poverty. More so, 75 percent of countries with low human development are in Africa with the continent’s consistent economic growth imparting insignificantly on the livelihoods of the people. In fact, 27 out of 54 African countries were reported to have GDP of less than $USD 2000 per capita. GDP growth in sub-Saharan Africa was estimated at 4.9 percent in 2013 and this increased to 5.3 percent in 2014 and further estimated to rise to 5.5 percent in 2015. The fight against inequality, poverty and unemployment is tantamount to aiming a moving target. Youth unemployment remains a component of Africa’s growth owing to persistent low productivity and underemployment in the informal sector. The resultant implication of this is manifested through persistent inequality, poverty, armed conflict and unchecked migration of young people to industrialised nations in search of the non-existing livelihood opportunities. This paper therefore recommends increased and monitored investments in critical infrastructural facilities. There is a need for multilevel and multinational partnership in the fight against corruption and social conflict to attract foreign direct investment. Investment in social security programmes will also assist the poor and vulnerable people in the continent.

The task of fighting food insecurity and poverty remains a moving target for policy makers in Nigeria. The fact that agriculture employs 70 percent of the active labour force and the country is food insecure shows there is more to be desired. However, little is known about food insecurity and Information Communication Technology (ICT) among farmers in Nigeria using a national representative data. Therefore, this study examined the effect of ICT on food insecurity among farming households in Nigeria. The General Household Survey Panel dataset (GHS-Panel) collected by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in 2013 was used for this study. Data from a total of 2,240 farming households were analysed. The study adopted Foster, Greer and Thorbecke Methodology (FGT), Descriptive statistical tools and Probit regression model for the analysis of relevant data. This study found 43 percent of farming households were food insecure. The average age of household heads was 52 years with fairly large household size of 7. The most commonly used ICT devices are radio, television and mobile phones. Again, households that have access to ICT were found to be less food insecure. The probit regression analysis showed household size, location (rural or urban), zone of residence (North Central, North East, North West and South West), distance to market, marital status, access to radio, access to television and access to mobile phones were the determinants of food insecurity among farming households in Nigeria. This study therefore recommended, increased campaigns on family planning among farming households by government and multilateral organisations. Also, government and organised private sector should provide adult literacy training programs for farmers to improve their literacy skills and use of ICT. Finally, government should subsidize food prices for food insecure farming households especially those in rural Nigeria.

Climate change is a serious environmental and economic issue confronting our world. Climate Change is a threat multiplier that makes poverty more chronic, worsens adverse health conditions and capable of inducing conflicts. The adverse climate change impacts materialise in various sectors of the economy. However, the effect is unique in developing countries that rely on agriculture. The paper examined the level of awareness and adaptation to climate change among yam-based farmers in rural areas of Oyo state. Yam is a root crop with huge economic and nutritional importance in Nigeria. However, Nigerian agriculture being rain-fed is exposed to the vagaries of weather hence the constraint to yam production. Primary data were used for the study. Personal interviews and well-structured questionnaire were used to elicit pertinent information. The information collected includes socioeconomic characteristics, perceptions on climate change, adaptation strategies and constraint to adaptation in the study area. Multistage sampling technique was used for the selection of respondents. At the first stage, three Local Government Areas (LGAs)-Saki East, Iseyin and Itesiwaju were purposively selected based on the dominance of yam production. The second stage involved the random selection of three communities from each LGA. At the third stage, simple random sampling technique was used to select 21 farming households from each community making a total of 189 households. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and logit regression model. The results of the descriptive analysis showed 92.1 percent of the respondents were married with an average household size of 9. Majority of the respondents (67.6 percent) cultivate yam on less than 2 hectares. The study revealed about 59 percent and 57 percent of the respondents do not have access to credit and extension services respectively. The farmers are aware of climate change effects with varying levels of knowledge. Majority of the farmers claimed yam output has been declining in the study area. However, adaptation strategies used by farmers to improve yam production in spite of climate change include mixed cropping, irrigation, diversification and change in planting dates. Meanwhile, climate change-induced problems in the study area are dwindling income and alteration of farm calendar, soaring labour cost, clashes between pastoralists and crop farmers and health issues. The paper recommended increased awareness on climate change through making existing information channels accessible to farmers. There is the need for government and microfinance institutions to provide credit to farmers in order to enhance their adaptive capacities.

Coronavirus is a public health issue with socioeconomic and livelihood dimensions. The World Health Organization declared the current novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) epidemic a public health emergency of international concern on January 30, 2020, and a global pandemic on March 11, 2020. The South African government has implemented different strategies, ranging from total lockdown in certain locations and provision of palliatives in some provinces across the country. This study, therefore, investigated the correlates of vulnerability and responsiveness to the adverse impacts of COVID-19 in South Africa. The study utilized primary data collected among 477 respondents. Descriptive statistical tools, Tobit and Probit regression models, were used to analyze the data. The study found different levels of vulnerability (low, medium, and high) and responsiveness among households, including stocking up of food items, remote working, reliance on palliatives, and social grant provision, among others. Some of the correlates of responsiveness to the COVID-19 pandemic include being employed, the type of community, and the income of respondents. The study, therefore, recommends increased investments in welfare programmes (safety nets, palliative measures and economic stimulus packages) as well as capacity building of households through education to reduce vulnerability. Doi: 10.28991/HIJ-2022-03-04-02 Full Text: PDF

The importance of developing the circular economy in Nigeria is increasingly recognized in literature. Nigeria, as the most populous black nation with over 200 million people and the 27th largest economy globally, possesses significant potential to explore and implement circular economy models, especially within the waste management sector. The market is buoyed by its large population and the growing demand for recycled materials, driven by economic incentives. Advancing the circular economy will aid in diversifying the national economy, promoting inclusive prosperity, and generating employment while creating safer environments to advance sustainable development goals (SDGs). However, the circular economy in Nigeria faces challenges such as low awareness, inadequate market integration, infrastructure deficiencies, policy inconsistencies, and high costs associated with equipment retrofitting. Recognizing the untapped potential of the circular economy as a transformative resource capable of creating employment opportunities for the burgeoning youth population and driving green growth amidst the threats posed by climate change, the study emphasizes the need for increased and monitored investments in infrastructure. Furthermore, it recommends providing grants and capacity-building support to current stakeholders within the circular economy sector to foster the development and scalability of innovative solutions, including ecosystem and equipment retrofitting/procurement. Consequently, it is imperative for the federal government to formulate and implement appropriate policies that support the circular economy framework. The transition towards a circular economy model presents significant opportunities for development in Nigeria, a country grappling with various environmental and socio-economic challenges. By adopting this model, Nigeria can mitigate resource depletion, reduce waste generation, and foster economic growth while promoting sustainability. However, this transition also comes with its set of challenges that need to be addressed for effective implementation. This study addresses both the opportunities and challenges facing the Nigerian economy in developing a circular economy.