Rising Food Prices and Farming Households Food Insecurity during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Policy Implications from SouthWest Nigeria

The government’s lockdown and restriction measures on the COVID-19 pandemic adversely altered livelihoods, commodity/food prices as well food security status in Nigeria, especially for rural farming households. A multistage sampling technique was used to collect data from 480 households across three selected states of SouthWest geopolitical zone Nigeria. This research entailed rapid evaluation determining factors rising expenditure, implications households’ coping strategies during pandemic. structured questionnaire obtain that were analyzed using following descriptive inferential statistics: double-logarithmic analysis, Foster–Greer–Thorbecke (FGT) probit regression analysis. results showed 60% respondents married, mean years spent school 17, age 49 years, household size 7 people monthly income less than $200. FGT model head count ratio 78% insecure. depth insecurity severity before 18.4% 9.9% respectively, 27.1% 13.0% revealed income, size, occupation significantly influenced household’s expenditure. Probit amount food, head, gender educational level its status. concluded indeed by among Intervention policies are needed promote enable sustainable livelihoods eradicate hunger due high sizes relation their low average economically recover have capacity sustain themselves against future shocks.