Abstract
This study examined how historical agrarian institutions and global development partnerships influence agricultural transformation and food security in Ebonyi and Imo States, South-eastern Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey design was adopted, and data were collected through a structured questionnaire administered to registered smallholder farmers, agricultural cooperative leaders, extension officers, and officials of relevant agricultural institutions. Of the 400 questionnaires administered, 387 valid responses were analysed using descriptive statistics and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) in SmartPLS 4. The findings showed that historical agrarian institutions and global development partnerships had significant positive effects on agricultural transformation, while agricultural transformation had a significant positive effect on food security. Historical agrarian institutions and global development partnerships also exerted significant direct effects on food security. Mediation analysis further indicated that agricultural transformation partially mediated the relationships between each of the two explanatory constructs and food security. The model explained 56.8% of the variance in agricultural transformation and 64.7% of the variance in food security, with satisfactory predictive relevance. Overall, the findings indicate that agricultural transformation in the study area is shaped by the interaction of historically embedded agrarian arrangements and contemporary development cooperation. The study therefore supports institutionally responsive agricultural policies, stronger collaboration with development partners, and measures that improve farmers’ access to productive resources, extension services, finance, markets, and appropriate agricultural innovations.