Unlocking food security through social capital networks: a synthesis of evidence from farming households in Nigeria

Understanding the role of social relationships in shaping livelihood outcomes is critical to addressing persistent food insecurity among smallholder farmers in Nigeria. This scoping review synthesizes peer-reviewed empirical evidence on the relationship between social capital and food security outcomes among Nigerian smallholder agricultural households. Following PRISMA-ScR guidelines, a systematic database search across Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, AGRICOLA, African Journals Online (AJOL), and Google Scholar identified 62 primary empirical studies meeting strict inclusion criteria (January 2000–May 2025). Theoretical frameworks, methodological guidelines, and studies relying solely on agricultural productivity or yield proxies were excluded. The synthesized evidence demonstrates that bonding, bridging, and linking social capital perform distinct yet complementary functions across the four dimensions of food security: availability, access, utilization, and stability. Bonding networks (kinship and informal community ties) primarily enable labour sharing, mutual aid, and informal food transfers during shocks. Bridging ties (farmer cooperatives and producer associations) facilitate market access, information sharing, and agricultural technology adoption. Linking social capital connects farmers with formal financial institutions, agricultural extension services, and policy support, enhancing resource acquisition. However, network benefits are unevenly distributed, frequently constrained by gender inequalities, socioeconomic stratification, and regional disparities. The review highlights critical research gaps, including limited applications of quantitative social network analysis (SNA) and insufficient examination of digital social capital and climate resilience mechanisms among farming households.