Assessment of the role of the legislature in enhancing food security in Nigeria: study of the 9th Senate

Abstract

This study examined the legislative role of the Nigerian Senate in advancing food security between 2019 and 2023, with particular focus on the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development. It evaluated the number and scope of food-related bills and motions, assessed the effectiveness of oversight activities, and identified key challenges affecting implementation. The study adopted a qualitative research design and is guided by Institutional Theory and Governance Theory to understand how legislative actions influenced food policy outcomes. Adopting the purposive sampling technique, the study conducted interviews on key informants selected from a population comprising members of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development, Ministry officials, members of the civil society, and so on. The study utilised the content analysis for the analysis of data and the thematic approach for the presentation of its findings. Findings showed that the Senate demonstrated a strong legislative interest in food security through the sponsorship of major bills such as the Food Security (Establishment, etc.) Bill and the National Food Reserve Agency Bill. These bills addressed issues including food storage, agricultural research, and market regulation. Despite this, the study found a clear gap between legislative activity and implementation. National budgetary allocations to agriculture remained below the 10% target set by the Maputo Declaration, limiting the impact of approved legislation. Interviews revealed that many executive agencies lacked either the capacity or willingness to carry out mandates outlined in the bills, leaving key laws unimplemented. It was also found that the committee carried out oversight through field visits, debates, and motions, targeting agricultural programmes such as the Anchor Borrowers Programme and food import regulations. The challenges leading to food insecurity were identified to include smuggling and trade irregularities, non-implementation of resolutions by Ministries Department and Agencies, weak inter-agency coordination, insecurity and the absence of enforcement mechanisms for oversight findings. Other challenges were poor public expenditure on agriculture and political interference in project execution. Given the challenges identified, the study made far-reaching recommendations which includes: institutionalising capacity building for legislatures and committee staff, improved synergy between the committee and executive institutions under its jurisdictions, prioritizing legislation on food security issues, strengthening oversight through digital tools and real time data, enhancing public participation through local consultation and combating predominant insecurity and insurgency in Northern Nigeria. The study concluded that although the Senate played a visible legislative role in promoting food security, poor implementation, weak enforcement capacity, and political obstacles hindered its impact. Stronger coordination between the legislature and executive arm of government is required to ensure that enacted laws result in tangible improvements in Nigeria’s food system.