In the previous analyses, it
has been established that wasting
food is unavoidable in Lagos State. It has also been found that Lagos
residents have added inclusive
neighbourhood
to the Sustainable Development Goals, which must be achieved by
2030, by
sharing leftovers. In the current analysis, Infoprations presents an integrated value chain formulated from the
outcomes of the recent research on food sharing in Lekki/Ajah and Yaba for the
attainment of zero hunger and responsible consumption in Lagos State and
Nigeria in general.
Initiating Relationship
Before
sharing leftovers, social capital in form of relationship initiation and
maintenance occur. Such relationship must be strong not weak. Being weak has
the tendency of not considering sharing leftovers with others.
Motivating Factors
Sharing leftovers in the city is not
gender-driven. Leftovers are shared in the knowledge that neighbours and their
children are suffering, the need to increase intimacy
and reduce the number of malnourished people in the communities. These factors were due to the country’s norms
and values.
Lagos residents come together to build an inclusive
neighbourhood through leftovers sharing and towards food waste reduction in the
city. Those who give do it because they want the receivers to see them as being
caring and work towards equitable distribution of resources. The fear of not
knowing what the future holds encourages food sharing culture among Lagos
residents.
The residents with leftovers share with the
needy because they (the givers) might also need the same assistance in the
future considering the changing socioeconomic conditions in the city and the country
in general. They are normative in their approaches instead of pragmatic because
it is an absolute truth that no one is immune from vulnerable socioeconomic
conditions. Since being normative is essential, Lagos residents enjoy life and
see others having pleasure and fun because of a positive attitude and the tendency
towards optimism.
Perceived Benefits
The givers believed that they empathised, receivers had elusive
commodity and be part of the neighbourhood through the sharing. Lagos residents consider empowering another person
as source of advancing their status or position in their communities. The
perceived benefits received by both the givers and receivers are in relation
with the notion that when people contribute to the
development of growth fostering relationships, they grow as a result of their
participation in such relationships.
Lesson and the Need to Institutionalise the Chain
The main lesson is that the awareness campaign
on food waste reduction driven by cultural elements will assist individuals, organisations
and governments in attaining food sufficiency at household level in Lagos
State, especially in Lekki/Ajah and Yaba areas, zero hunger and responsible
consumption goals of the Sustainable Development. At the national level, concerned stakeholders in the National Food Security
Project need to appropriate both ethnic group and national’s culture towards
the attainment of the SDGs related to food security.
Good job you've done, Mutiu Lasisi.
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