Preprint Article Version 2 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

Counting the Cost: The effect of Covid -19 Lockdown on households in South East Nigeria

Johnny Ogunji
ORCID logo ,
Stanley Iheanacho
ORCID logo ,
Chinwe Victoria Ogunji
,
Michael Olaolu
ORCID logo ,
Vivian Oleforuh-Okoleh
,
Nuria Amaechi
,
Esther David
,
Onyekachi Ndukauba
,
Theophilus Maduabuchukwu Ikegwu
ORCID logo ,
Cresantus Biamba
* ORCID logo ,
Delight Chinonyerem
Version 1 : Received: 29 April 2021 / Approved: 30 April 2021 / Online: 30 April 2021 (15:28:12 CEST)
Version 2 : Received: 2 September 2021 / Approved: 2 September 2021 / Online: 2 September 2021 (15:13:20 CEST)

A peer-reviewed article of this Preprint also exists.

Ogunji, J.; Iheanacho, S.; Ogunji, C.V.; Olaolu, M.; Oleforuh-Okoleh, V.; Amaechi, N.; David, E.; Ndukauba, O.; Ikegwu, T.M.; Biamba, C.; Chinonyerem, D. Counting the Cost: The Effect of COVID-19 Lockdown on Households in South East Nigeria. Sustainability 2021, 13, 12417. Ogunji, J.; Iheanacho, S.; Ogunji, C.V.; Olaolu, M.; Oleforuh-Okoleh, V.; Amaechi, N.; David, E.; Ndukauba, O.; Ikegwu, T.M.; Biamba, C.; Chinonyerem, D. Counting the Cost: The Effect of COVID-19 Lockdown on Households in South East Nigeria. Sustainability 2021, 13, 12417.

Abstract

The present study measured household hunger in South-East Nigeria amidst COVID-19 lockdown. A total of 1209 households (urban and rural locations) were sampled. Household hunger was determined using Radimer/Cornel hunger scale, while Chi-square test was done with significance of P<0.05. Results of this study revealed 82.7% prevalence of hunger among households before Covid-19 pandemic, while during Covid-19 lockdown, hunger prevalence rose to 98.6%. It was also observed that covid-19 lockdown significantly affected food prices.The major coping strategy employed by households was relying on less expensive foods (81.14%). High household hunger was identified as a short term cost of Covid-19 lockdown in Southeast Nigeria. Only few households benefited from the food aid programs and other forms of palliatives by Government. It is recommended that the Government should setup a formidable unit which will develop physical and digital plans for effective implemention during Covid-19 lockdown situation or other emergencies.

Keywords

Food insecurity, Food insufficiency, Household Hunger, Coping Strategy, COVID-19, Pandemic

Subject

Social Sciences, Sociology

Copyright: This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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