AGRICULTURAL INPUT-GOVERNANCE NEXUS AND FOOD SECURITY IN NIGERIA

Abstract

This study examined the Agricultural input-Governance nexus and food security in Nigeria over the period 1981 to 2018. The Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) econometric technique was adopted and the results showed the presence of long-run equilibrium relationship among the variables of interest. Empirical evidence also noted that despite the negative attributes of corruption on food security, its spillover effects, although strong, does not cause certain agricultural inputs such as, agricultural machinery usage and agricultural credits to impact negatively on food security. However, the interaction between government expenditure and corruption showed its ineffectiveness on food security. As a result of this connection, the study advocates the promotion of the efficiency of agricultural machinery usage and agriculture credit scheme for farmers through banks to precipitate an increase in food production and attainment of food security.  Furthermore, to serve as a deterrent to others, the nation’s anti-graft agencies should step up their activities in bringing corrupt contractors and bureaucrats to justice, especially, those involved in diversion and misappropriation of funds targeted to agricultural growth and sustenance of food security.