Mary Agada^1,, Edwin Igbokwe²

The culture of a place and the cultural practices contribute directly or indirectly to the food security situation of a given society. This study assessed the influence of food culture and practices on household food security among Tiv, Igala and Eggon ethnic groups in North Central Nigeria in 2011. A sample of 120 Tiv, 108 Igala and 112 Eggon households was interviewed using a structured questionnaire and focus group discussion. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and a logistic regression procedure. Findings revealed that all households consumed carbohydrate based foods, men (93%) dominated agricultural decision making and undertake land preparation and ridging while women carried out weeding and food processing. All households practiced subsistence farming, 94.7% practiced mixed cropping, 93% acquired farmland through inheritance and 67 % sourced farm labour from the family. Males controlled household income (95%) and had preference in household food sharing (78%). Food culture and practices that significantly influenced household food security were control over household income (-1.056; p ≤ 0.05) and preference over household food sharing (0.834; p ≤ 0.05). The study concluded that culture was a dominant factor in number of meals consumed per day, household food choices, agricultural decision making, cropping system, division of labour, land acquisition, control over household income, preference in household food sharing and hence food security. It is recommended that both male and female farmers should be encouraged to diversify their income sources and make more money accessible for food purchases. Also, both gender should be provided access to productive resources for increased agricultural production and productivity for food security. Furthermore, farmers should be encouraged to produce and consume food of increased quality and diversity for improved nutrition and food security and household food should be fairly distributed in order to take care of the nutritional needs of all family members.

food, culture, practices, households, Nigeria