AGRICULTURAL POLICIES AND FOOD INSUFFICIENCY IN NIGERIA: THE AKWA IBOM, STATE, PERSPECTIVE

The study was predication on the assumptions that food insufficiency does not necessarily have an effect on the people of Akwa Ibom State and that, the more agricultural policies are effectively implemented, the descriptive and historical method of investigation where utilized which made it possible to draw data from the secondary sources. From the analysis the study found out that certain factor such as insufficient production, gender disparity, corruption and inefficient policies etc. has contributed to food insufficiency in Akwa Ibom. Moreover, the study revealed that food insufficiency has impacted negatively on the populace through hunger, malnutrition, depression, unemployment etc. furthermore , the study that implementation of agriculture policies in Akwa Ibom state has been faced with challenges such as lack of adequate skills to deliver services effectively, lack management capacity of farmer-clients. Unwillingness of conventional banks to support agriculture etc. the study concluded that for food insufficiency to be ameliorated there must be a re-orientation of the agricultural sector policies by properly repositioning the small holder famer who are the providers of food in Nigeria. Consequently, the study recommended, among other issues, that there should be far reaching agriculture policies; programme and strategies should be allowed to endure, mature and outlive their initiator so as to be well tested for their weak and strong points to be identified etc.