PERCEPTION OF GLOBAL PANDEMIC'S EFFECTS ON FOOD SUPPLY. EXPERIENCES OF LECTURERS AT COLLEGES OF EDUCATION IN DELTA STATE WITH INSECURITY AND HUNGER

Abstract

This study’s goals are to look at how the COVID -19 epidemic has affected the availability of food in Delta
State, Nigeria, as well as how academics there see how it has affected their experiences with hunger and
food insecurity. The design of a descriptive survey was used. 26 lecturers from Delta State's colleges of
education were used. The study allowed for participation from the entire population. "Food Insecurity and
Hunger Experience in Post Covid-19 Pandemic Questionnaire (FIHEPCPQ)," a structured questionnaire,
used as the primary tool for data gathering. The validity of the instrument was done by two professionals
from the School of Vocational Educations and one from the Faculty of Education, Delta State University
Abraka. The internal consistency of the instrument was determined by administering the instrument to twenty
(20) lecturers in Alvan Ikoku College of Education Owerri. The data collected were analyzed using
Cronbach Alpha Reliability Approach to yield a reliability coefficient value of 0.79. Data were evaluated.
using mean and standard deviation. The test of hypotheses was achieved using t-test statistics. The study's
findings show that there is no discernible difference between the mean ratings of male and female professors'
judgments of the impact of the global pandemic on food insecurity and hunger in Delta State, Nigeria, or
between their opinions of the virus' impact on the state's food supply. Thus, the paper recommended, among
others, that the school management should increase the rate of food supply available for Lecturers in the
Colleges of Education in Delta State and that the state government should increase the food distribution
channels to increase the accessibility of food in the state.