THE IMPACT OF FLOOD DISASTER ON FOOD SECURITY IN KOGI STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Natural and human-made flood disasters adversely affect humans and their environment. Extant studies have extensively discussed flooding in relation to causes, casualties and displacement with little attention paid to how flooding impacts on food security. Therefore, the causes of flooding, the impact of flooding on food security, the extent to which flooding affected farming communities and the response mechanisms of different stakeholders in Kogi State were examined.

Bergman and Collins’ Cause and Effect Theory provided the framework, while survey design of case study approach was utilised. Eight farming communities - Kabawa, Egah, Edeha, Iyano, Adogo, Oguma, Ugwolawo and Ajaka - from eight local government areas which have experienced intense flooding were purposively selected. A validated questionnaire was administered to 4,170 farmers randomly selected across the eight communities. Sixteen focus group discussions (two in each community) were held with the farmers. Twelve key informant interviews were conducted with three officials of the Nigerian Metrological Agency (NIMET), Federal Inland Water Ways (two), the Federal Ministry of Agriculture (two), Kogi State Ministry of Agriculture (three), one official of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and one official of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA). Also, 16 in-depth interviews were conducted with eight community leaders, two National Union of Road Transport Workers officials, two market men and four market women. Secondary data were derived from reports and bulletins of the NEMA and SEMA. Quantitative data were analysed using percentages, while qualitative data were content analysed.

The NIMET and NEMA reports showed that heavy rainfall and water released from Lagdo Dam in the Republic of Cameroon were the causes of flooding. Interviewees identified extensive soil excavation by local builders, inadequate drainages and indiscriminate waste disposal contributed to flooding. Majority (82.0%) of farmers affirmed that flooding affected food availability, accessibility, affordability and utilisation. Records from Kogi State Ministry of Agriculture showed that yield in 2012 alone decreased by 560 metric tonnes (41.2%) from 1,360 metric tonnes when compared with the previous year. A total of 3,344 (80.2%) of the farmers affirmed that their farm produce and livestock were destroyed. This was corroborated by reports from NEMA Post Disaster Needs Assessment, which showed that 143, 446 homes, 2,500 hectares of farmland, 47,526 livestock, 18 community markets, 12 bridges and 24 access roads were destroyed. Majority (76.4%) of respondents opined that government and non-governmental organisations provided them with temporary relief materials, though they were inadequate in meeting the immediate needs of the farmers.

Flood disaster adversely affected food security of farming communities in Kogi State, with inadequate relief materials provided by government and non-governmental organisations. Therefore, government should embark on the dredging of Rivers Niger and Benue and create new dams to absorb water resulting from floods. Flood-prone communities should be permanently relocated to areas that are less disaster-prone.