Agricultural Economics

Agricultural Economics

Developing the Optimal Household Food Basket with Emphasis on the Limited Water Resources of Iran

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
Mostafa Baniasadi 1
Elham Barani Beyranvand 2
Kazem Shahverdi 3
1 Assistant Professor, of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Agricultural, Bu-Ali Sina University of Hamedan
2 Department of Agricultural Extension and Education, Faculty of Agriculture, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamadan, Iran
3 Department of Water Resources Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture,, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamadan, Iran
10.22034/iaes.2024.2018007.2040
Abstract
lifestyle, consumption pattern, household income, food prices, nutrition knowledge, consumer preferences and tastes are the most important factors affecting on household food basket. In some cases, despite physical and economic access to foodstuffs, people face malnutrition. Meanwhile, the basic resources such as water resources are limited, and there are environmental issues. Therefore, it is necessary to compile an optimal food basket that is economical and accessible and provides the nutrients needed while considering the country's water resources situation. The aim of the current study was to develop an optimal food basket model for the Iranian household, which imposes a lower cost on the household compared to the desired basket proposed by the Ministry of Health while minimizing the virtual water consumption. To this end, the Multi-objective mathematical programming model were used. Required data was collected from Central Bank of I.R. Iran, statistical center of Iran, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Ministry of Agricultural, and World Health Organization. The results demonstrated that the optimal food basket of this study is superior to that of the Ministry of Health in terms of cost and virtual water consumption. According to the results of the study, it is suggested that income compensatory policies should be implemented for the economic access of low-income deciles to the optimal food basket developed by this study, and for the high-income deciles, nutritional knowledge and correct consumption patterns should be promoted among households.
Keywords
Virtual Water
Food Security
Mathematical Programming
Income Decile
Household Food Basket

Subjects

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