Comparative Food Governance in India, Ethiopia, and Nigeria

This paper summarises an ongoing book project that examines the governance of food security in three low- and middle-income countries—India, Ethiopia, and Nigeria. These nations face shared development challenges, including large and growing populations, rapid urbanisation, and the increasingly severe impacts of climate change on agricultural production and food consumption. Despite these commonalities, the countries differ significantly in their governance approaches. Ethiopia has pursued a developmental model inspired by China, focusing on centralised state-led initiatives. India, while also governing strongly from the centre, adopts a more diverse approach, balancing federal and state-level policies. Nigeria, in contrast, struggles with relatively weak and decentralised governance structures, complicating efforts to address food security comprehensively. This paper explores how the development challenges and governance differences have affected the four pillars of food security—availability, access, utilisation, and stability. By tracing their cumulative impacts, the paper also identifies opportunities for cross-country learning to enhance food security outcomes.