Divergent Policy Preferences on Food Safety and Affordability in Nigeria: Stakeholder Perspectives
DOWNLOADNovember 5, 2024 - Lenis Saweda O. Liverpool-Tasie, Ayala Wineman, Danielle Resnick
Print
EmailThe paper, titled "Divergent Policy Preferences on Food Safety and Affordability in Nigeria: Stakeholder Perspectives," examines divergent policy beliefs concerning food safety and affordability in Nigeria. Conducted by Lenis Saweda O. Liverpool-Tasie, Ayala Wineman, and Danielle Resnick, the study employs best-worst scaling (BWS) techniques on survey responses from 200 stakeholders within Nigeria's agrifood system, including government officials, researchers, and industry representatives.
The study aims to identify key challenges and perceptions regarding food safety and affordability in Nigeria, focusing specifically on the vegetable and fish value chains. Findings reveal that stakeholder divergence is more pronounced for food safety compared to affordability, indicating varied priorities in addressing safety challenges. Safety concerns include weak legislation, overuse of antibiotics, and inadequate infrastructure, with federal, state, and private actors holding different views on the root causes and necessary actions.
Affordability issues, while also varied, showed more consensus among stakeholders. The high cost of inputs and infrastructure, coupled with security challenges, were identified as common constraints for both fish and vegetable value chains. Notably, fish was seen as less affordable compared to vegetables, especially in regions lacking sufficient infrastructure.
The research also highlights differing perspectives between federal and state governments, as well as between agrifood producers and policymakers. For instance, federal stakeholders emphasized a lack of food safety knowledge among actors, while state-level actors pointed to weak food safety regulations as the primary issue. Farmers, on the other hand, prioritized receiving subsidies and improving affordability through government support.
The findings underscore the importance of understanding the divergent beliefs that shape policy prioritization. Addressing these differences could lead to more inclusive, effective policymaking, especially in low and middle-income countries where budget constraints necessitate strategic allocation. The authors advocate for policy harmonization, targeted stakeholder dialogues, and interventions that balance affordability with food safety.
Key Takeaways:
-
Divergence in stakeholder beliefs is greater for food safety than for affordability.
-
Food safety issues include weak legislation, overuse of antibiotics, and poor infrastructure.
-
Common challenges for affordability are high input costs and inadequate infrastructure.
-
Policymaking would benefit from greater alignment and dialogue between stakeholders.
