Interplay of Water–Energy Security and Food Consumption Patterns towards Achieving Nutrition Security in Katsina State, North-Western Nigeria

Exploring the Relationship between Energy and Food Security in Africa with Instrumental Variables Analysis

The well-being of human populations and their sustainable development are strongly predicated on energy and food security. This is even more true of Africa due to often suboptimal food production, undernourishment, and extreme poverty. This article researches the relationship between energy and food security using Cobb–Douglas production functions based on the World Development Indicators data for 28 African countries. The methodological approach includes cross-sectional dependence and unit root tests, instrumental variables two-stage least-squares and generalized method of moments, and panel Driscoll–Kraay standard errors. Results suggest that the promotion of energy security promotes food security. This is possible because food production and distribution are energy-intensive. Therefore, energy is fundamental to achieving food security and zero hunger. The availability, affordability, accessibility, and acceptability of energy can thus help to fix the growing agricultural production shortage in Africa. An important policy focus should be on achieving energy security.

Food Consumption–Production Adjustments to Economic Crises under Credit Constraints in Nigeria

Poverty and food security risks are increasing in resource-reliant African countries such as Nigeria. Resultantly, policymakers have attempted to use agricultural policy reforms to boost productivity and increase income. However, macroeconomic instabilities complicate agricultural transformation. Consequently, farm households try to diversify food production to mitigate shock-induced nutrition losses. However, credit constraints disrupt the planting of different crops required for adequate diets. This study investigates food security performance during Nigeria’s Agricultural Transformation Agenda. It examines whether credit-constrained households adjust food consumption and production differently from credit-unconstrained families. The aim is to uncover the nutritional implications of the adjustments and evaluate the changes such a linkage has undergone during the commercialization initiative. While credit-unconstrained households diversified food production to mitigate food security risks, credit-constrained households were unable to do so. A policy that improves credit access for farm-input purchases appeared to increase food security. However, macroeconomic shocks disrupt the smooth implementation of the policy. Resultantly, policy decisions on the designation of a financial-support scheme that approves credit to households for operating off-farm enterprises must be considered. The business profits could complement farm income to improve family nutrition. Part of the profits could again be plowed back into farm-input needs to enhance agricultural commercialization.

Gender and Other Vulnerabilities to Water–Energy Accessibility in Rural Households of Katsina State, Northern Nigeria

Water and energy are essential resources for all people. However, despite the availability of sufficient water and energy resources, men and women continue to be subject to unequal rights to both water and energy in terms of access, allocation, gathering, and quality of resources. Socio-economic parameters, which include gender, income, and location, are determinant factors of water and cooking energy accessibility in this study. The research aims to assess the accessibility of water and cooking fuels across female-headed households, and evaluate particular vulnerabilities and challenges faced by women and children in rural areas of Katsina State in circumstances of water and energy insecurities. A study involving a questionnaire covering 550 rural households across 11 areas in Katsina State, north-western Nigeria, was conducted. A Pearson product correlation analysis was performed to measure the strength of association between the respondents educational level and income. A chi-square test of independence was carried out to measure the degree of dependence of the households’ resources accessibility. The authors assessed the disproportionate threats and health risks linked to fetching water and gathering of fuel resources. The research findings indicate that water and energy uncertainty among women in rural households is due to unequal responsibilities associated with water- and energy-related household duties that are potentially linked to disadvantages for females, including violence, security threats, diseases, and disempowerment. To address these challenges, water and energy interventions, and important pathways for beneficial change, are proposed for rural regions in sub-Saharan Africa. This should lead to more gender equity associated with water and energy.