ENHANCING FOOD SECURITY THROUGH COOPERATIVE-BASED NUTRITION EDUCATION, AMONG WOMEN COOPERATORS IN RURAL COMMUNITIES OF IMO STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study investigated enhancing food security through cooperative-based nutrition education: a study of women cooperative societies in rural communities of Imo State, Nigeria. The study was initiated due to the lack of access to accurate, timely, and culturally relevant nutrition education; poor dietary habits; and insufficient nutrition awareness, resulting in undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, and increased vulnerability to illness in rural communities in Imo State. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The study population consisted of all the 312 registered women's cooperative groups with an estimated membership of 9,360 women in the rural areas of Imo State. The study sample consisted of 384 respondents (members of women's cooperative societies) determined using Yamane’s (1967) formula for a finite population and selected through a multi-staged sampling technique. The Cooperative-Based Nutrition Education Questionnaire (CBNEQ) (r = 0.84) was used to obtain the data. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions. Findings showed that Cooperative-based training programmes provided minimal nutrition education. Major challenges faced by women’s cooperative societies in implementing nutrition education initiatives for food security include: lack of trained facilitators on nutrition, inadequate funding for training materials, and limited time for practical demonstrations, while strategies that can improve the effectiveness of nutrition education through women's cooperative societies include: Train-the-trainer model for cooperative advocates; regular agenda slot for nutrition and practical cooking demonstration with local or seasonal food. The study advocated the integration of nutrition education within cooperative frameworks and the prioritization of practical, cost-effective demonstrations, among other recommendations.

Keywords:  Food security, Cooperative-based, Nutrition Education, Women cooperative Societies, Rural communities