아프리카ㆍ중동

The prevalence and severity of food insecurity vary across locations due to spatial diversity in natural resources, physical and non-physical conditions, and environmental factors. Thus, it is becoming increasingly important to place food insecurity in a spatial context so as to identify the geographic clusters (hotspots and coldspots) of food insecurity. This will ensure effective targeting of policies that prominently feature food security concerns. This paper therefore attempts to analyze the spatial pattern of household food insecurity across 109 Senatorial Districts (SDs)using data obtained mainly from 2018/2019 Nigeria Living Standard Survey (NLSS). The study identified 28 SDs in the hotspots of food insecurity and 19 SDs in the Coldspots, each with an average food security index of 0.87 and 2.12, respectively. The hotspot SDs are predominantly in the North Central and North East regions of the country while the coldspots are mainly in the South West and South-South regions. The study also provides evidence of spatial dependence between neighbouring senatorial districts, indicating that areas with high (low) food insecurity are more likely to be bounded by areas with high (low) food insecurity. Findings from the spatial regression model highlights age of the household head, household size, amount of rainfall, percentage of households with access to or ownership of arable land, asset ownership, and SD area as major determinants of food security in hotspots. In coldspots, household size, access to or ownership of arable land, and amount of rainfall are identified as key determinants. Given the spatial clustering of food insecurity in Nigeria, it is crucial for the government and humanitarian community to consider territorial dimensions in their commitments to food-based safety net initiatives.