FOOD INSECURITY AMONG VULNERABLE HOUSEHOLDS: IMPLICATIONS ON POVERTY PERPETUATION IN IMO STATE

Abstract

This study examined food insecurity among vulnerable households in Imo State,Nigeria, with particular attention to income disparities, asset ownership, and household expenditurepatterns. Using the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS), the study assessed theseverity of food insecurity and explored how economic constraints shape household copingstrategies. A descriptive survey design was adopted, involving 484 respondents drawn fromvulnerable communities across eight Local Government Areas in Imo State. The study populationcomprised low-income households, female-headed households, widows, elderly persons livingalone, and residents of rural and peri-urban areas. Data were collected through a structuredquestionnaire and analysed using both descriptive and multivariate techniques. Findings indicatethat food insecurity is widespread and severe among vulnerable households, with a substantialproportion experiencing chronic food shortages. Food insecurity was strongly associated with lowincome levels and was found to undermine household asset ownership and distort expenditurepriorities. Many households adopted adverse coping strategies, including skipping meals, reducingmeal portions, and selling productive assets, actions that further entrenched their vulnerability andweakened long-term economic resilience. The study concludes that food insecurity in Imo State isnot merely a short-term welfare issue but a structural challenge closely linked to poverty andlivelihood instability. Addressing this challenge requires integrated policy responses that go beyondfood aid. The study recommends targeted income-support programmes, household-level foodsubsidy initiatives, and community-based agricultural interventions to strengthen livelihoods,protect household assets, and enhance sustainable food access among vulnerable populations.