Skip to main content

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW article

Front. Sustain. Food Syst.
Sec. Land, Livelihoods and Food Security
Volume 8 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fsufs.2024.1490133

Resilience to Climate-Induced Food Insecurity in Nigeria: A Systematic Review of the Role of Adaptation Strategies in Flood and Drought Mitigation

Provisionally accepted
  • Environmental Management Programme, College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science, Bowen University, Iwo, Nigeria

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Climate change presents weighty challenges globally, with Nigeria particularly vulnerable to its multifaceted impacts. This review explores the effects of climate change-induced droughts and floods on food security in Nigeria, where agriculture is central to economic stability and livelihoods. The analysis integrates a comprehensive metadata evaluation, identifying trends, thematic gaps, and regional disparities in existing research. It examines how extreme weather events have intensified issues related to food supply, economic resilience, and well-being, underscoring the critical need for adaptive strategies. A systematic review of 2,500 publications, following PRISMA criteria, narrowed the focus to 450 studies, with 104 highquality studies undergoing in-depth analysis. Metadata analysis revealed an increase in research interest post-2010, a lack of longitudinal studies, and an underrepresentation of semiarid northern regions in the literature. Findings indicate a growing threat to Nigeria's food security, as frequent flooding destroys infrastructure, erodes topsoil, and reduces agricultural productivity, leading to lower food output and increased costs. At the same time, droughts, particularly in the semi-arid north, drastically reduce crop yields and worsen food insecurity by depleting vital water resources. These challenges disproportionately affect smallholder farmers and pastoral communities, waning poverty and hunger. The review highlights the complexity of Nigeria's food insecurity, shaped by factors such as geography, socioeconomic status, and adaptive capacity. Despite advancements in adaptation strategies, issues like fragmented policies and inadequate infrastructure continue to hinder effective responses.However, the review identifies key opportunities to enhance food security and resilience, including greater stakeholder engagement, increased investment in climate adaptation, and the use of digital technologies. By addressing these challenges and leveraging these opportunities, Nigeria can build a more resilient and sustainable food system capable of withstanding the increasing threats posed by climate change.

    Keywords: Climate change impacts, Food security, Floods and droughts, adaptation strategies, Nigeria

    Received: 08 Sep 2024; Accepted: 23 Dec 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Ogunbode, Akinkuolie and Adekiya. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Timothy O. Ogunbode, Environmental Management Programme, College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science, Bowen University, Iwo, Nigeria

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.