Agricultural Economics

Agricultural Economics

Measuring food insecurity in Iranian households

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
Maryam Rezaeifar 1
sadegh khalilian 2
Hamed Najafi Alamdarlo 3
MOHAMMAD HASSAN VAKILPOOR 4
1 Ph.D., Tarbiat Modares University
2 Professor of Agricultural Economics Department of Tarbiat Modares University
3 Associate Professor, Department of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Agriculture, Tarbiat Modares University
4 Assistant Professor, Department of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Agriculture, Tarbiat Modares University
10.22034/iaes.2024.2023163.2048
Abstract
Reducing poverty and achieving food security is one of the important goals of sustainable development. Despite the importance of this issue, the lack of food security during the last two decades has been recognized as the most serious public health problem in the world.Therefore, in this research, using the raw data of the household income and expenditure sampling plan, the food insecurity situation in Iran was investigated using the FGT index for the years 2012-2022.The results of food insecurity indicators related to access to the amount of calories and protein needed by the individual showed that the prevalence of food insecurity in urban households is higher than in rural households.The prevalence of food insecurity in access to calories needed by the body in 2012, in urban and rural households, is 30.45% and 23.71%, respectively. These numbers are 27.58% in urban households and 23.18% in rural households to reach the amount of protein needed by the body.The results showed that the percentage of households that receive protein less than the daily requirement is less than the households that do not have access to the minimum calories required by the body.Finally, in a decade, food insecurity in access to calories needed by the body in urban and rural households of Iran has increased to 48.06% and 44.35%. Also, food insecurity in access to the protein needed by the body has increased to 42.38% and 40.68% in urban and rural households. According to the results of the present study, it is suggested to identify and support vulnerable groups against food insecurity, make policies to maintain the economic situation and food security, such as stabilizing food prices, direct subsidies to support food consumption and adjust the negative effects of malnutrition, monitor food insecurity Households in urban and rural areas and finally structural reforms should be taken into consideration mainly targeting economic and social growth.
Keywords
"Food insecurity"
"FGT index"
"calories"
"protein"
"Iranian households"

Subjects

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Agricultural Economics
Volume 18, Issue 4 - Serial Number 4
Winter 2025
Pages 161-143