COVID-19 and the Food Deficit Economy in Southeastern Nigeria
This study examines the significant impact of the total lockdown adopted by the Nigerian government to checkmate the spread of Coronavirus in the country. The policy has been commended but it had a devastating effect on the food economy of the Igbo people of Southeastern Nigeria. The study argues th...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2021-01-01
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| Series: | Cogent Arts & Humanities |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/23311983.2021.1909893 |
| _version_ | 1798033696418168832 |
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| author | Uche Uwaezuoke Okonkwo Victor Okoro Ukaogo Joy Nneka U. Ejikeme George Okagu Ambrose Onu |
| author_facet | Uche Uwaezuoke Okonkwo Victor Okoro Ukaogo Joy Nneka U. Ejikeme George Okagu Ambrose Onu |
| author_sort | Uche Uwaezuoke Okonkwo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study examines the significant impact of the total lockdown adopted by the Nigerian government to checkmate the spread of Coronavirus in the country. The policy has been commended but it had a devastating effect on the food economy of the Igbo people of Southeastern Nigeria. The study argues that the pandemic actually entrenched and deepened food scarcities in the region. This food deficit in the region was only possible because, among the several Nigerian ethnic nationalities, the Igbo owe much of their food supplies from outside. The Coronavirus pandemic total lockdown introduced by the federal government of Nigeria between the months of March to May 2020 amplified the food supply challenge. So while the crisis of food deficiency had the effect of traumatizing the people between 1967 and 1970 on account of the federal government food blockade leading to the brutal defeat of secessionist Biafra, the pandemic completely shut down the region with high prices of food across the length and breadth of the region. Beyond the corona pandemic and as authorities are nearing the objective of flattening the curve, the study advances sundry opinions and suggestions on food security and food control agenda for the survival of the people. Data collections for the study was carried out through oral interviews basically focus group discussion from market men and women, newspaper reports, and participant-observer methods of research analysis as the researchers are residents in Igboland. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T20:34:10Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-54627447e7c64f03bc0caa322945c369 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2331-1983 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T20:34:10Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cogent Arts & Humanities |
| spelling | doaj.art-54627447e7c64f03bc0caa322945c3692022-12-22T04:04:25ZengTaylor & Francis GroupCogent Arts & Humanities2331-19832021-01-018110.1080/23311983.2021.19098931909893COVID-19 and the Food Deficit Economy in Southeastern NigeriaUche Uwaezuoke Okonkwo0Victor Okoro Ukaogo1Joy Nneka U. Ejikeme2George Okagu3Ambrose Onu4University of NigeriaUniversity of NigeriaUniversity of NigeriaInstitute of African Studies/Department of Archaeology, University of NigeriaUniversity of NigeriaThis study examines the significant impact of the total lockdown adopted by the Nigerian government to checkmate the spread of Coronavirus in the country. The policy has been commended but it had a devastating effect on the food economy of the Igbo people of Southeastern Nigeria. The study argues that the pandemic actually entrenched and deepened food scarcities in the region. This food deficit in the region was only possible because, among the several Nigerian ethnic nationalities, the Igbo owe much of their food supplies from outside. The Coronavirus pandemic total lockdown introduced by the federal government of Nigeria between the months of March to May 2020 amplified the food supply challenge. So while the crisis of food deficiency had the effect of traumatizing the people between 1967 and 1970 on account of the federal government food blockade leading to the brutal defeat of secessionist Biafra, the pandemic completely shut down the region with high prices of food across the length and breadth of the region. Beyond the corona pandemic and as authorities are nearing the objective of flattening the curve, the study advances sundry opinions and suggestions on food security and food control agenda for the survival of the people. Data collections for the study was carried out through oral interviews basically focus group discussion from market men and women, newspaper reports, and participant-observer methods of research analysis as the researchers are residents in Igboland.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/23311983.2021.1909893covid-19food securityigbohungerstarvationfood deficit |
| spellingShingle | Uche Uwaezuoke Okonkwo Victor Okoro Ukaogo Joy Nneka U. Ejikeme George Okagu Ambrose Onu COVID-19 and the Food Deficit Economy in Southeastern Nigeria Cogent Arts & Humanities covid-19 food security igbo hunger starvation food deficit |
| title | COVID-19 and the Food Deficit Economy in Southeastern Nigeria |
| title_full | COVID-19 and the Food Deficit Economy in Southeastern Nigeria |
| title_fullStr | COVID-19 and the Food Deficit Economy in Southeastern Nigeria |
| title_full_unstemmed | COVID-19 and the Food Deficit Economy in Southeastern Nigeria |
| title_short | COVID-19 and the Food Deficit Economy in Southeastern Nigeria |
| title_sort | covid 19 and the food deficit economy in southeastern nigeria |
| topic | covid-19 food security igbo hunger starvation food deficit |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/23311983.2021.1909893 |
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