Insecurity and Negligence of Rural Development: The Bane of Food Security and Sustainable Development Goals in Nigeria

Abstract

Food security means having access to sufficient food supply at all times to meet the dietary of family to the extent of ensuring their productivity and healthy living. Food security calls in Nigeria is akin to Goal 2 “Zero Hunger” of Sustainable Development Goals, otherwise called “Global Goals” adopted by the United Nations in 2015. Sustainable development goals anchors development on the understanding that human societies must live and meet their needs without jeopardizing the chances of future generations to also meet their own needs. Nevertheless, food security and zero hunger of sustainable development goals can be considered as genuine aspiration and blueprint of the present generation in favour of posterity. In this paper we examined the Nigeria security architecture and rural development framework against the backdrop of achieving food security or zero hunger in a decade to come. The study is entirely theoretical because the scope cuts across several states in Nigeria affected by insecurity and neglect of rural development vis a vis its negative impact on food security and zero hunger. We found that Benue State, Zamfara State and Katsina State are confronted by large scale insecurity that has caused their farmers to abandon their farms and villages for fear of being kidnapped or their wives taken away. Uzere Community in Delta state is confronted by neglect of rural development. The only bridge connecting the community and Asaba urban collapsed about 29 years ago and it has since remained like that. The farmers grow foodstuffs like groundnut, cassava, yam, cocoa etc. from which they earn income to make a living but for 29 years now, all that ambition has been put on hold. Ayerose Community in Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area of Ogun state do not have a motorable road but the World Bank gave them a market. Insecurity across the country and out right neglect of rural development are twin evils that constitutes a cog on the wheel of achieving foods security and zero hunger in Nigeria. We recommended a redirection of our national goals towards getting security right and achieving maximal advantage in rural development that way we shall achieve food security and zero hunger.