Place of Rail Transport Operations on Food Security in South Eastern Nigeria’s Rail Corridor

Abstract

This study investigated the implications of rail transport operations on food security in Enugu North and Portharcourt Local Government Areas of the Eastern District of Nigerian Railway Corporation. Data for this study were obtained from both primary and secondary sources. The survey research design and pre-test test reliability testing of the questionnaire were adopted. A multiple regression analyses technique using Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) was adopted to determine the significant effect of the rail transportation operations on food security in Eastern Nigeria. The study found that there is a threat of food insecurity resulting from higher cost of transporting agricultural products by road. Train services in the south east at the moment are only limited to Portharcourt in Rivers state and Aba in Abia State while Enugu which is the administrative headquarters only coordinates operations without enjoying the actual rail services. Rail transport services that are supposed to transport surplus agricultural products from the northern part of the country including Maiduguri and Makurdi to the south eastern corridor are non-existent. The study recommends the extension of the revitalisation of rail infrastructure to the south east, allow private sector funding, the rehabilitation of the existing narrow gauge eastern rail lines in the interim to enable it resume services covering Portharcourt to Maiduguri in the north east. This will go a long way to eliminating the high cost of road transport and force down food prices in the region.