Influence of agricultural stakeholders’ capability development and participation on food security in Ebonyi State: towards regime politicization and sustainability implication in Nigeria

Food security remains a persistent development challenge in Nigeria, particularly in Ebonyi State, where various policy regimes have yielded limited outcomes. This study investigates the Ebonyi State Food Security Regime (EFSR) through the lens of stakeholder participation and capability development. The problem lies in the mismatch between empowerment policies and their actual implementation outcomes—an issue rooted in political patronage, fragmented capacity development, and misaligned stakeholder engagement. The study aims to examine the moderating role of Agricultural Stakeholder Capability Development (ASCD) on the effect of Agricultural Stakeholder Capability Participation (ASCP) on food security outcomes in the state. Using a cross-sectional survey of 382 participants across six implementation agencies, moderation analysis was conducted via PROCESS Macro 3.5, with bootstrapping at a 95% confidence level. Results show that both ASCP and ASCD positively influenced food security. However, the interaction effect was significant only at low and average ASCD levels, indicating that when experienced farmers are involved, the marginal benefit of ASCD diminishes. It is concluded that the politicization of empowerment processes, limited coordination among agencies, and uneven ASCD contribute to the underperformance of EFSR. The study recommends a restructured, evidence-based ASCD approach tailored to specific stakeholder categories.