Abstract

Hunger is a global phenomenon that has reached an alarming proportion across the globe. Agriculture is being practiced by a large number of farmers with limited formal education, resulting into food insecurity and acute hunger globally. The role of agricultural literacy in equipping farmers with requisite knowledge, skills and technical know-how for food security and sustainable agricultural practices cannot be underestimated. It is with this view that this study examines agricultural literacy as a predictor of food security in Nigeria. Five research objectives were raised to guide this study. Descriptive research design of survey type was adopted for this study. A self-structured and validated questionnaire was used to elicit information.  The data collected were analyzed using frequency counts, and percentage. Finding revealed that low-level of agricultural literacy exists in the studied area. It was revealed that food inflation, hunger, malnutrition, and high mortality rate are the effects of food insecurity. It was revealed that inadequate educational opportunities for farmers, lack of access to ICT, negative attitude and poverty are factors undermining agricultural literacy. It was also revealed that agricultural literacy is capable of solving unemployment rate, improving socioeconomic development of farmers, higher productivity, and economic growth of the nation. The study recommended that Government should develop and implement a comprehensive content-driven agricultural literacy to enhance farmers’ technical know-how on sustainable agricultural practices for economic growth. The study concluded that agricultural literacy is a catalyst of achieving zero hunger, strengthening local economy and fostering sustainable agricultural practices in Nigeria.