The contribution of extension service to the development of agricultural sector is in no small measure, but, the extension service delivery system has been passive and non-functional in many areas. This has disproportionately impacted on the farmers and the food systems, which have also created unequal ground for both men and women farmers to operate, and in particular, inadequate opportunities for women farmers to thrive. Using the African feminism theory, this study interrogated the current state of extension service delivery, examined the farmers’ empowerment and food security status, and examined the effect of extension service delivery on farmers’ food security status in the study area.

The study elicited data from 252 randomly selected arable crop farmers in Osun State, and analyzed the data with descriptive statistics, while Gender Equality for Food Security (GE4FS) measure technique was adopted to estimate and categorize the farmers into continuums of empowerment and food security status. Binary probit regression model was fitted to examine effect of extension service delivery on farmers’ food security status.

From the results, extension service delivery appeared to be non-functional in the study area, while many of the farmers were also food insecure. The farmers appeared to be slightly empowered in the aspect of agriculture empowerment, while economic, social and civic engagement empowerments seemed to be insufficient, and this also led to majority of the farmers being disempowered. Empowerment status, extension service delivery, and farmers’ personal features were also indicated to significantly affect farmers’ food security status in the study area.

Given the findings, the study recommended that policy actions and efforts on agri-food sector development should be directed towards these highlighted areas.

Keywords: Food security, empowerment, extension service, GE4FS, binary probit, Nigeria