Volume 1, Issue 2 (1-2024)
Ame 2024, 1(2): 70-78 |
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galedarvand H, shirani F, rezaei A, joolaie R. (2024). Assessment of Food Security in Development Programs and its Relationship with Inequality of Income Distribution in Rural Areas of Iran. Ame. 1(2), 70-78. doi:10.61186/ame.1.2.70
URL: http://ame.sanru.ac.ir/article-1-64-en.html
URL: http://ame.sanru.ac.ir/article-1-64-en.html
Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, Iran
Abstract: (395 Views)
Extended Abstract
Introduction and Objective: Food is one of the fundamental needs of human society and an integral part of people's lives, and its provision lies in the category of food security. Food security is one of the criteria and tools of human development. Human development can simultaneously be considered both as a goal and as a path of national development and economic growth. Food security in the scientific sense is a calculated method for solving food and nutrition problems and a defined framework for development planning and management. Food security exists when all people have economic and physical access to healthy, sufficient and nutritious food on all days, and the accessible food also provides the needs of a nutritional diet compatible with their taste for a healthy and active life. All definitions provided. For food security, which has two basic aspects, physical access can be defined as the availability of food in the market or more generally in the environment. Meanwhile, economic access is defined as the availability of sufficient purchasing power to buy food in the market or access to production factors to produce food using the natural environment, which is called access in a nutshell. The extent of the concept of food security is such that it is determined by the interaction of a range of biological, economic, social, agricultural and physical factors, and it requires a sufficient supply of food at the macro level and fair distribution in order to reach all people. It should also be stated that providing food security depends on the participation of all socio-economic parts. Also, by improving and increasing the quality of food production, the agricultural sector has a decisive and essential role in creating food security. In this regard, the aim of the current research is to evaluate food security in the first to sixth five-year plans of 1404 vision development and its relationship with the inequality of income distribution in rural areas of Iran.
Material and Methods: In order to achieve the goal of the research, the Engel’s buffer index was calculated as a substitute for food security index and was analyzed separately in the five-year development plans. In this regard, the required data include food expenses, non-food expenses, total expenses of rural households, Gini coefficient, financial development index, trade liberalization index, gross domestic growth and gross domestic product per capita from the Central Bank, Statistics Center Iran and the World Bank were collected and calculated for the period 1353-1401. Finally, the relationship between the Engel buffer index and the variables of the Gini coefficient, GDP, financial development index and trade liberalization index was investigated with the correlation coefficient.
Results: Based on the results, the Engel’s buffer index has increased in some periods and decreased in others. The reason for the increase or decreases in food security in different periods may be due to several factors, including climate changes, economic crises, war and political changes. Dependence of agricultural production to the occurrence of pests and diseases and the destruction of natural resources such as soil and water. Also, in general, the share of food expenses of rural households has decreased in the period under review. During the period under review, rural households spend a relatively smaller share of their income on buying food because with an increase in income, the household can increase its food consumption to a certain extent. According to the fact that rural households spend a smaller share of their income on buying food in proportion to the increase in income, we can conclude that we are witnessing an improvement in the food security situation in rural households in the mentioned period. In addition, the amount of Engel’s buffer is increasing during the development plans until the fourth plan and after that it decreases due to political problems and sanctions. In general, the highest value of food security in rural areas is related to the fourth program with a score of 62 and the lowest is related to the first program with a score of 51. Also, based on the results of the correlation coefficient and the studied variables, the Engel’s buffer index has a positive and significant relationship with the financial development index and a negative and significant relationship with the Gini coefficient and trade liberalization index. Also, no significant relationship was found between the Engel’s buffer index and the growth of GDP and GDP per capita in the period under review.
Conclusion: Financial development can increase agricultural production and access to financial resources for farmers. Based on the positive relationship between the financial development index and the Engel’s buffer, it can be concluded that financial development by creating more opportunities for rural and agricultural businesses can improve production and the quality of the products of rural communities. In addition, the growth of financial development index has a direct impact on the possibility of creating employment and creating opportunities for entrepreneurship, generating new sources of income and reducing unemployment. Considering the negativity and significance of the two variables of Gini coefficient and trade liberalization, the increase of Gini coefficient leads to the decrease of fair distribution of wealth in the society. On the other hand, the growth of the Gini coefficient can lead to neglecting the basic needs of the deprived sections of the society. Also, the opening of foreign markets can threaten domestic production and negatively affect the ability to export and import goods. The impact two variables of GDP growth and GDP per capita on Engel’s index were not significant in the studied period.
Introduction and Objective: Food is one of the fundamental needs of human society and an integral part of people's lives, and its provision lies in the category of food security. Food security is one of the criteria and tools of human development. Human development can simultaneously be considered both as a goal and as a path of national development and economic growth. Food security in the scientific sense is a calculated method for solving food and nutrition problems and a defined framework for development planning and management. Food security exists when all people have economic and physical access to healthy, sufficient and nutritious food on all days, and the accessible food also provides the needs of a nutritional diet compatible with their taste for a healthy and active life. All definitions provided. For food security, which has two basic aspects, physical access can be defined as the availability of food in the market or more generally in the environment. Meanwhile, economic access is defined as the availability of sufficient purchasing power to buy food in the market or access to production factors to produce food using the natural environment, which is called access in a nutshell. The extent of the concept of food security is such that it is determined by the interaction of a range of biological, economic, social, agricultural and physical factors, and it requires a sufficient supply of food at the macro level and fair distribution in order to reach all people. It should also be stated that providing food security depends on the participation of all socio-economic parts. Also, by improving and increasing the quality of food production, the agricultural sector has a decisive and essential role in creating food security. In this regard, the aim of the current research is to evaluate food security in the first to sixth five-year plans of 1404 vision development and its relationship with the inequality of income distribution in rural areas of Iran.
Material and Methods: In order to achieve the goal of the research, the Engel’s buffer index was calculated as a substitute for food security index and was analyzed separately in the five-year development plans. In this regard, the required data include food expenses, non-food expenses, total expenses of rural households, Gini coefficient, financial development index, trade liberalization index, gross domestic growth and gross domestic product per capita from the Central Bank, Statistics Center Iran and the World Bank were collected and calculated for the period 1353-1401. Finally, the relationship between the Engel buffer index and the variables of the Gini coefficient, GDP, financial development index and trade liberalization index was investigated with the correlation coefficient.
Results: Based on the results, the Engel’s buffer index has increased in some periods and decreased in others. The reason for the increase or decreases in food security in different periods may be due to several factors, including climate changes, economic crises, war and political changes. Dependence of agricultural production to the occurrence of pests and diseases and the destruction of natural resources such as soil and water. Also, in general, the share of food expenses of rural households has decreased in the period under review. During the period under review, rural households spend a relatively smaller share of their income on buying food because with an increase in income, the household can increase its food consumption to a certain extent. According to the fact that rural households spend a smaller share of their income on buying food in proportion to the increase in income, we can conclude that we are witnessing an improvement in the food security situation in rural households in the mentioned period. In addition, the amount of Engel’s buffer is increasing during the development plans until the fourth plan and after that it decreases due to political problems and sanctions. In general, the highest value of food security in rural areas is related to the fourth program with a score of 62 and the lowest is related to the first program with a score of 51. Also, based on the results of the correlation coefficient and the studied variables, the Engel’s buffer index has a positive and significant relationship with the financial development index and a negative and significant relationship with the Gini coefficient and trade liberalization index. Also, no significant relationship was found between the Engel’s buffer index and the growth of GDP and GDP per capita in the period under review.
Conclusion: Financial development can increase agricultural production and access to financial resources for farmers. Based on the positive relationship between the financial development index and the Engel’s buffer, it can be concluded that financial development by creating more opportunities for rural and agricultural businesses can improve production and the quality of the products of rural communities. In addition, the growth of financial development index has a direct impact on the possibility of creating employment and creating opportunities for entrepreneurship, generating new sources of income and reducing unemployment. Considering the negativity and significance of the two variables of Gini coefficient and trade liberalization, the increase of Gini coefficient leads to the decrease of fair distribution of wealth in the society. On the other hand, the growth of the Gini coefficient can lead to neglecting the basic needs of the deprived sections of the society. Also, the opening of foreign markets can threaten domestic production and negatively affect the ability to export and import goods. The impact two variables of GDP growth and GDP per capita on Engel’s index were not significant in the studied period.
Type of Study: Applicable |
Subject:
General
Received: 2024/01/13 | Accepted: 2024/02/5 | Published: 2024/03/10
Received: 2024/01/13 | Accepted: 2024/02/5 | Published: 2024/03/10
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