Arable Crop Farmers Food Insecurity and Coping Strategies: Socioeconomic Differential Perspective in Southwest Nigeria
Food insecurity remains a critical challenge among arable crop farmers in Nigeria, particularly in Southwest, where socio-economic vulnerabilities and climatic shocks continue to undermine food availability and accessibility. This study investigates the coping strategies adopted by arable crop farmers in the face of food insecurity, aiming to provide insights for policy interventions. A multi-stage sampling technique was employed to select 480 respondents across key agricultural zones in Oyo State. Primary data were collected using structured questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics, including frequency distributions and percentage rankings of coping strategies. Findings reveal that the most frequently adopted coping mechanisms include allowing children to eat first (27.3%), eating once a day (37.2%), and selling household assets (16.5%). Other strategies such as reducing food quality, picking leftover food at events, and begging for food were less commonly reported, possibly due to associated stigma or cultural reservations. Additionally, a significant proportion of respondents (57%) occasionally bought food on credit, while 59.5% relied on food assistance from relatives or friends. These coping strategies reflect both adaptive and erosive responses, with implications for long-term food system resilience and household welfare. The study concludes that food insecurity among arable crop farmers in Oyo State triggers a range of short-term coping mechanisms, many of which may compromise future livelihoods and productivity. It is recommended that government and development agencies strengthen rural social protection programs, enhance farmers' access to credit and productive assets, and promote community-based food support systems.