Effect Of Covid-19 Pandemic On Food Productivity And Food Security In Nigeria
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The Coronavirus pandemic outbreak that hit Wuhan China is described as the largest outbreak in history. The pandemic causing devastating effects on human beings, economic activities and food security in these countries The magnitude and extent of these activities have been speculative especially that of food security. This study reports study that investigated the magnitudes of the impact of Coronavirus scourge on farm productivity and food security. The study was conducted in Enugu state. Stratified random sampling technique was used to select the two LGA. Propulsive random sampling technique was adapted to select the farmers. A questionnaire comprising four scales was employed to collect data from 160 (150 farmers and 10 extension workers) community members selected from 15 communities in these two LGA. The findings of the research revealed that most of the farmers were in their socio-economically active age, ranging from 36 to 55 years. The study further showed that post–planting activities- fencing, hunting, bird scaring (28.8%) and crop harvesting (61.3%) were most severely affected by the Coronavirus outbreak in communities. Further still, it revealed that the disease outbreak to a very great extent decreased food affordability and financing (99.4%), food availability, storage and protection (98.1%), processing and preservation, marketing, and food accessibility (97.5%). The major recommendation based on the findings was that: Government and other donor bodies should consider the deteriorating trend of farmers’ health and food security to give them priority in time of the after- Coronavirus rehabilitation.