Flooding, Food Security and the Sustainable Development Goals in Nigeria: An Assemblage and Systems Thinking Approach

Abstract

Food is connected to sustainable development goals in numerous ways, as food security is key to achieving sustainable development. The world is currently not on track to achieve the set sustainable development goals (SDGs). In Nigeria, flooding is a recurrent disaster and constitutes a setback to success with the SDGs and sustainable development. Flooding disasters are a threat to food security due to their impact on the food system. This study is an integrative review that explores the link between Nigeria’s flooding, food security, and the SDGs. It adopts an assemblage and systems thinking approach to analyze the impact of flooding on all components of food security. It finds that, despite the impact of flooding on food security, it is not recognized as a threat by policymakers, as evidenced by the lack of mention of disasters in the current Nigeria Agriculture Promotion Policy (APP). Attention is drawn to this oversight in this work by highlighting the interconnections between flooding, food security, and sustainable development. Recommendations on flood mitigation and adaptive practices that can alleviate the negative impact of flooding on food security to enhance the success rate of the SDGs are proffered. This work contributes to the literature by showcasing the impact of flooding on food security and its connection to sustainable development, which is an area that has not received adequate attention in research. The assemblage and system thinking approach adopted brings novelty and allows for a succinct understanding of how flooding impacts all four aspects of food security. This paper serves as the first time the problem has been explored in this manner.

Climate Change, Sustainable Forest Management, ICT Nexus, and the SDG 2030: A Systems Thinking Approach

“…Recently, a growing study in sustainable development using systems thinking approach is increasing because of the SDGs' complexity, integration, and indivisible nature. Echendu used systems thinking to assess how Nigeria's floods affected all food security components and the SDGs [50]. Clark et al conducted an exploratory study using the systems thinking approach and presented an 18th SDG called Digital Connection [51]; Stead used the systems thinking approach to strengthening the aquaculture policy for U.N. SDGs [52].…”

The Role of Food and Nutrition in Achieving Sustainable Developmental Goal 2030 Through Food Security in Nigeria

“…The SDG indicators are crucial as monitoring, operational, and evaluative tools. They are applicable across countries for measuring progress and determining where to channel resources to facilitate progress (Gil et al, 2019;Echendu, 2022). Working towards achieving these goals is country-specific as different countries have different needs and challenges.…”

“…In Nigeria, many communities experience perennial flooding during the rainy season between March and November (Echendu, 2022). The centrality of food to the SDGs makes food security a major determinant of achieving its objectives.…”

Food Sustainability In A Post Covid-19 Era: The Nigeria Perspective

“…Although other factors, as reported in related study, highlighted that the impacts of food insecurity could trigger communal conflicts between farmers and herdsmen, thereby leading to insecurity which prohibits farmers from accessing their farms (Echendu 2021a;Furini 2019;Kralovec 2020;Lawal 2020;Ogundipe et al, 2020). Flooding has a significant impact on Nigeria's key food supplies, which include agriculture, fisheries, and aquaculture (Echendu, 2022). While this is going on, accomplishing the SDGs is closely correlated with food availability because it is difficult to work toward reaching the objectives without it.…”