Gendered access to land and household food insecurity: Evidence from Nigeria

Abstract

With rapid population increase and persistent climate stressors, access to arable land, and gender-based prejudice is a major worry. This paper investigates the joint influence of land access and gender on food insecurity using Nigerian data. Employing a logit model, findings show that while increase in land access reduces food insecurity, female-headed households were more food insecure. With a one-acre increase in land accessed, the likelihood of female-headed households being food insecure decreased by 16% compared to male-headed households. Our results provide policy insights on how improving access to land for female-headed households may sustainably enhance food security in Nigeria.