Affordability of healthy diets is associated with increased food systems performance in Nigeria: state-level analysis

Abstract

This study examines the relationships between healthy diets’ affordability and food systems performance across Nigerian states. On a composite index (FSI) constructed from key food system components, states in the southern zones perform relatively better than those in the north, whereas a higher share of households who cannot afford a healthy diet was from northern states. Findings suggest the need for more focused attention on resilience building for improved food systems especially in northern Nigeria. Results also indicate cases where unaffordability of a healthy diet remains high in the face of comparatively lower cost and vice versa, highlighting the need for more efficient and equitable food supply systems. Findings of this study further suggest that achieving affordable healthy diets would require stepping up actions to improve, among others, access to basic services (such as good roads and electricity), increased presence of financial services (such as rural banks), greater access to information and communications services (mobile phone subscription rates and increased radio/television station coverage), facilitating more favorable and predictable business environment, and promoting women’s empowerment.

Measuring food access using least-cost diets: Results for global monitoring and targeting of interventions to improve food security, nutrition and health

“…CoAHD has inspired analyses and debates about how to repurpose agricultural policy to make healthy diets more affordable ( FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP and WHO, 2022 ), focusing attention on the least expensive products in nutrient-rich food groups to show where and when improved production and distribution could improve access to healthy diets as specified in national dietary guidelines. Food system analyses have begun to model the factors influencing high cost of healthy diets ( Glauber and Laborde, 2023 ; Laborde et al, 2021 ; Mekonnen et al, 2023 ), and FAO is using CoAHD indicators in regions to understand policy options ( FAO, IFAD, PAHO, UNICEF and WFP, 2023 ). The cost of a healthy diet, as well as the number and percentage of people in each country unable to afford a healthy diet, are key outcome indicators in the Food Systems Dashboard that assembles indicators across the food system to illustrate possible linkages between food supply, food environments, and food security, diet, and nutrition outcomes; and which has been replicated and adopted in several countries for subnational-level information ( Fanzo et al, 2020 ).…”