The study examined the food security status and the socioeconomic
effects of climate change on rural farming
households in Delta State, Nigeria. The main objective of the
study was to determine the food security status of the rural
farming households in the state while the specific objective
was to determine the socio-economic effects of climate
change on rural farming households in the state. Multistage
sampling procedure was used in the random selection of local
government, communities and rural households for the
research study. The data for the study were obtained with the
aids of structured questionnaire survey randomly
administered to rural farming households in the state. Food
security index was used to determine the level of food
insecurity (food security status) among the rural households
in communities that have been affected by flood and or other
climate hazardswhile descriptive statistics was used to
summarize the socio-economic effects and their food security
status of the rural farming households in the state. Most
respondents (65.10%) were married with low annual income
of N54,702 ($353) which is less than the poverty line of less
than $1 (one dollar) a day. Most rural farming households
witnessed loss of investment on farm lands, lives and income
respectively in the state. The study also reveals that rural
farming households suffered ill health, such as malaria, water
borne diseases and skin infections that were on the increase in
the state. The study also revealed that majority of respondents
was moderately food insecure. The study also recommends
that Government planning agencies and policy makers should
put into consideration these food insecurity situations in their
planning and policy implementation to prevent future chronic
food insecurity situation in the state.