FLOODING, FOOD SECURITY, AND HOUSEHOLD ECONOMIC RESILIENCE IN LOCAL COMMUNITIES IN THE NIGER DELTA REGION OF NIGERIA

Abstract

Flooding has become a recurrent environmental shock in Nigeria’s Niger Delta, with major implications for household welfare, livelihoods, and food security. This study examined the effects of flooding on household food security and economic resilience in Bayelsa, Rivers, and Delta States. A mixed-method design was adopted, and 1,682 valid responses were analysed from 1,800 administered questionnaires using descriptive statistics and inferential interpretations. The findings revealed that households in the study area are highly exposed to flooding, which disrupts food supply, reduces meal frequency, and increases dependence on cheaper or less preferred foods. Many households reported income loss, asset depletion, and unstable livelihoods during flood events. Short-term coping strategies such as reducing meal sizes, borrowing food or money, and selling household belongings were common, though often destructive. While livelihood diversification and social support networks helped some households recover, these measures were largely insufficient, particularly in the absence of formal financial services, credit, and insurance. Institutional support programmes were reported to be poorly accessed and only moderately effective. Overall, weak social protection systems and persistent vulnerability undermine household resilience in the Niger Delta. However, emerging livelihood diversification and social capital provide important buffers that can be strengthened. The study recommends expanding financial inclusion, improving early warning and disaster preparedness systems, investing in resilient infrastructure, and implementing targeted livelihood and social protection interventions for flood-prone communities. Strengthening both formal and community-based support systems is essential to safeguard food security and enhance household adaptive capacity in the face of recurrent flooding.