PERCEIVED INFLUENCE OF HOME ECONOMICS EDUCATION ON THE LEVEL OF FOOD SECURITY IN EDO AND DELTA STATES

ABSTRACT

This study examined the percieved influence of Home Economics Education on the level of food security in Edo and Delta State Nigeria. Five research questions were raised to guide this study and three hypotheses were formulated and tested at 0.05 level of significant. The study adopted the descriptive survey research design. The population of the study comprised all the 178 final year Home Economics students and lecturers in the Departments of Home Economics in four tertiary institutions in Edo and Delta States, Nigeria. Given the small size of the population, the entire population was used as sample for the study. The instrument for data collection for the study was a questionnaire titled Percieved Influence of Home Economics Education on the Level of Food Security Questionnaire” (PIHEELFSQ). The instrument was subjected to validity by the researcher’s supervisor and two other experts, one in Home Economics and the other in measurement and evaluation, all in the faculty of Education, University of Benin. The reliability of the instrument was determined by administering 20 copies of the instrument to Home Economics Education final year students and lecturers who were not part of the sample. . The data collected was analysed using the Cronbach Alpha statistics and a reliability value of 0.67 was obtained. Data collections were carried out by administering the instrument to the respondents by the researcher and research assistants who were properly briefed on how to administer the instrument. Mean (x̄) and Standard (SD) deviation were used to answer the research questions 1-5 while t-test was used to test the hypotheses 1-3 at 0.05 level of significant. The major findings of the study revealed that several factors ranging from lack of funds to purchase food, low productivity of food, unemployment, population growth and food wastage are responsible for food insecurity in Edo and Delta States. The findings also revealed that the perceived effect of food insecurity in Edo and Delta states are diseases, low productivity, increase in crime rate amongst others. The findings revealed that Home Economics Education improves food availability in Edo and Delta States to a high extent. The findings also revealed that Home Economics Education improves food accessibility to a high extent in Edo and Delta States. The study also reviewed that Home Economics Education improves food availability to a high extent in Edo and Delta States. The study concluded, based on the findings, that Home Economics Education influence food security and therefore recommended among others that The federal government should formulate and effectively implement policies and intervention programmes, capable of addressing the root causes of food insecurity and poor economy growth such as unemployment, poverty and conflict and the Government should also give ultimate concern to Home Economics Education by addressing the issues faced by Home Economics Education.