Household Agriculture in Ending Hunger and Malnutrition
How household-level food production can build long-term food security and reduce dependence on food aid.
The journal explores household agriculture as a practical and sustainable tool for addressing hunger and malnutrition in Nigeria. It focuses on small-scale food production carried out by families and communities, including kitchen gardens, backyard farming, small livestock and poultry rearing, and cooperative farming. Unlike approaches that rely primarily on external food donations, household agriculture enables families to produce part of their own food while potentially generating income from surplus production. The approach is presented as a complement to food donation rather than a replacement for immediate hunger relief.
However, household agriculture faces barriers including limited access to land, expensive or unavailable farming inputs, knowledge gaps, water scarcity, and climate variability. The journal highlights the potential for NGOs such as Pink Food Bank to combine immediate food relief with agricultural education, starter kits, tools, and household farming support. This dual approach could help address immediate hunger while building the capacity of families to produce food and become more resilient over time.
