Role of Information and Communication Technology in Promoting Household Food Security in Nigeria

Abstract

This Information and communication technology (ICT) has become a recurrent decimal in all aspects of human endeavour. The litany of ICT tools and resources in most households are used to disseminate, information in all aspects of household life, including agricultural production and food security. Even though over 70% of the Nigerian population is engaged in farming and the huge investment in the farm sector, the impressive figures of food production turned out annually by the national bureau of statistics is in contrast to the number of people without access to adequate food and nutrition continue to rise annually. The paper reviewed the role of ICT in promoting household food security in Nigeria. It discussed the importance of food security, the role of ICT in promoting food security, challenges faced by households in the utilization of ICT, and the approaches for enhancing the use of ICT by families for promoting food security. From the review, it was found out that ICT has enormous roles to play in boasting food production and fostering equitable distribution and marketing of food products. Key challenges to the effective utilization of ICT in promoting food security include lack of access to ICT tools, low literacy level, and inadequate capital, among others. It recommended that massive sensitization and literacy programmes on ICT, and providing ICT tools at affordable rates to households among others could promote food security.