Food security among urban households: A case study of Gwagwalada area council of the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, Nigeria

Abstract

Urban areas are faced with the problem of increasing population and consequently inadequate supply of food items. Many urban households and individuals in Nigeria merely eat for Survival. This study was therefore designed to assess the state of food security among urban households in the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria. Simple random sampling technique was used to select 120 respondents from the study area. Data were analyzed using simple descriptive statistics and Food Security Scale. The results revealed that 70% of the urban households in the study area are food secure, while only 30% are non food secure. The major coping strategies against food shortages were the purchase of less preferred food and reduction in the quantity of meals. The study recommends that efforts at reducing food insecurity among urban households should focus on increasing urban household income and food supply. © Asian Network for Scientific Information, 2009.