Contending Factors to the Quest for a Zero Hunger Society and Sustainable National Development: A Focus on Nigeria

Abstract

The quest for a zero hunger society is a global responsibility. The cost of hunger and malnutrition to the global economy is the equivalent of US$3.5 trillion a year. Some countries may claim to be developed, strong and stable, but that does not mean that hunger is not affecting their economy. Even in the US, one of the richest countries in the world, one in seven persons - 14.3 percent, does not have enough to eat. The situation is more critical in developing countries, and Nigeria is deeply affected. The class of people regarded as being hungry in the US are far better than the class of people we refer to, in the developing countries as ‘hungry’. In Nigeria, thousands of people, especially women, till the ground, suffer and sweat to feed the nation, yet food production is low. We do not have enough to eat owing to such limitations as the paucity of varieties of high yielding farm inputs, insecurity, government and political limitations, inaccessibility of the necessary agro-technology etc. Consequently, hunger has continued to be a challenge to Nigeria. The researcher adopted the descriptive method, and used the global theory of change to support his argument. Data for this study were mainly drawn from the secondary sources, and through a careful analysis, it was concluded that the world can produce enough food for humanity all we need do is to take proactive measures to reverse the ecological impact limitations. To achieve this, more attention should be given to farming, and government assistance should be direct to the rural women, whose prominent role in feeding the nation is well documented.