IMPACT OF HIV/AIDS EPIDEMIC ON FOOD SECURITY AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT IN SUB- SAHARAN AFRICA

^1*Chikaire, J., ²Oguegbuchulam, M.N, and ³Osuagwu, C.O.

*Department of Agricultural Extension, Federal University of Technology, Owerri.

Department of Agricultural Management Extension Imo State Polytechnic, Umuagwo Ohaji.

e-mail-bankausta@yahoo.com  

ABSTRACT

HIV/ AIDS epidemic is real and continues to evolve. It is estimated that over 90 percent of the close to 40  million people who are thought to have been infected world wide with the virus since the start of the epidemic live in developing countries, especially in sub- Saharan Africa. With around 15 million HIV/AIDS infected adults and children,   sub- Saharan African is the region hardest hit. This represents more than 65 percent of the world total. Of the more than 9000 new infections that occurs daily world wide, 50 percent are in sub- Saharan Africa. It is estimated that around 7 million adults and 1.4 million children worldwide have already died since the start of this deadly disease. The scourge has a disproportionate effect on food security situation of rural house holds, communities and livelihoods. It damages the rural livelihood assets of rural dwellers who depend on agriculture. It also erodes the rural institutions which provide a vital social safety net in African societies; it disrupts smooth operation of poverty alleviation programmers and capacity of informal institutions. The scourge erodes rural development programmes of a community and renders affected population hopeless. This paper thus aims to describe the ways in which HIV/AIDS epidemic negatively influence food and livelihood security, and its impact on the food and nutrition security of millions as well as rural development policy programmes.

Keywords: HIV/AIDS, food security, rural development, poverty policy, sub- Saharan Africa.