Agricultural Economics
T. Mohtashami; Mohaddeseh Tavakoli
Abstract
Using appropriate policies to overcome food insecurity is one of the pillars of economic prosperity of countries. Economic decisions that change macroeconomic parameters can directly or indirectly affect food production and prices and affect food security. Therefore, achieving a clear understanding of ...
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Using appropriate policies to overcome food insecurity is one of the pillars of economic prosperity of countries. Economic decisions that change macroeconomic parameters can directly or indirectly affect food production and prices and affect food security. Therefore, achieving a clear understanding of how macroeconomic policies affect different dimensions of food security in the country can lead to providing solutions to improve the food security index. In this study, a framework of simultaneous equations is presented in order to investigate the relationship between monetary and financial policies with food production and prices in the country. In this regard, using the method of generalized moments, behavioral equations were estimated separately using the data of 1978-2018. The model was then implemented as a system of equations using the Gauss Seidel method. Different scenarios were simulated in this model to investigate the effects of changes in interest rates, money volume, and general government investment on various aspects of food security. The results indicated that government investment in the agriculture sector and public investment expenditures have a positive impact on food production through capital stock. Additionally, changes in interest rates have minimal effects on food production but significant negative effects on food prices. Overall, monetary policy decisions result in increased food prices alongside decreased food production due to the demand for money and private investment. Therefore, the implementation of these policies should be done more carefully in order to encourage farmers to increase production and therefore ensure food security for consumers.
Agricultural Economics
F. Razzaghi Borkhani; T. Azizi Khalkheili; A.A. Barati
Abstract
Introduction
The shortage of freshwater resources is one of the primary crises the world faces, despite the constant availability of renewable water sources. As a result, the rising risks associated with water scarcity are a critical concern. The water crisis reduces crops production and negatively ...
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Introduction
The shortage of freshwater resources is one of the primary crises the world faces, despite the constant availability of renewable water sources. As a result, the rising risks associated with water scarcity are a critical concern. The water crisis reduces crops production and negatively affects food security. Due to the increase in demand for food, agriculture section is under more pressure because of both water crisis and more demand for food. Agricultural sector has been also facing with water shortage due to climate changes caused by the more global warming and low precipitation. Water crisis and climate changes leading to a decrease in the crops production. Now, agriculture and livelihood of villagers has become unstable more than any time. Considering the importance of irrigated farming in Mazandaran province in the country's food security, the present study was conducted with the aim of identifying the most important variables that affecting water security in Mazandaran province.
Materials and Methods
The statistical population of the research included 16 subject experts with research or executive experience in the fields related to water studies, water security and climate change. The selection of them was done in a purposeful way. The data collection tool was a researcher made questionnaire and the data collection method was face-to-face interview. At first, to identify the variables involved in water security a subject literature review and several semi-structured interviews with subject experts were conducted. Then, the experts were asked to evaluate the cross-effects of the identified variables through pairwise comparisons and in the form of the MICMAC questionnaire. Finally, the data were analysis using MICMAC software.
Results and Discussion
According to the results, among the studied variables, "knowledge and environmental literacy of villagers" and "reduction of precipitation due to climate change" (input variables) are two important key variables that directly and indirectly affect water security and therefore should be considered. The variables "best management of appropriate farm operations", "volume and diversity of water resources" and "good management and governance of agricultural water" are intermediate variables, with high impact and high dependence. Based on the direct influence network intensity of the key variables involved in water security, variables such as “best management of suitable farm operations”, “good management and governance of agricultural water”, “the degree of resilience of farmers to adapt to climate change” play a central and sensitive role. Based on the indirect relationships, “best management of appropriate farm operations”, “the degree of resilience of farmers to adapt to climate change”, “risk management of ecological hazards and climate change” have the greatest indirect effect on other variables and should be considered by policy makers and planners in this field.
Conclusion
Water crisis is a major challenge for agricultural activities and consequently for food security. Considering the vital role that Mazandaran province plays in the agricultural products production and as a result food security, the present study examined the most important variables affecting food security. The findings of this study showed that "good management and governance of agricultural water" has the most direct impact on water crisis management. Good water governance can be taken into consideration with the relative strengthening and synergistic participation of public and private sectors and non-governmental organizations in line with the planning and implementation of food security policy with the water-energy-food nexus approach. The role of increasing the environmental knowledge and literacy of villagers by providing effective educational-promotional services such as farm filed school is very important on the farmer's resilience and adaptability. On the other hand, variables such as good water management and governance, development of new irrigation systems and technologies, zoning of agricultural lands and the explanation of the appropriate cultivation pattern for each zone (such as planting crops with low water demand and high added value include medicinal plants) are undeniable impact on the livelihood resilience of the farmer's family and adaptation to climate change conditions. Diversify the livelihood resources of farming households with the participation of household women, promoting climate-oriented businesses that are compatible with climate changes (such as agricultural tourism and handicrafts), using drought-resistant species, changing the date of cultivation, developing greenhouse cultivation, medicinal plants and modernization of irrigation, change of history and cultivation pattern play important roles on the resilience of farmers to adapt climate change.
Agricultural Economics
M. Rafaati; M. Shabanzadeh-Khoshrody; E. Javdan
Abstract
Introduction: The rapid acceleration of inflation over the past decade has increased the cost of living in the metropolitan area of Tehran. The World Food Program (WFP) report shows that Tehran province has the highest rate of welfare inequality compared to other provinces in Iran, and a significant ...
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Introduction: The rapid acceleration of inflation over the past decade has increased the cost of living in the metropolitan area of Tehran. The World Food Program (WFP) report shows that Tehran province has the highest rate of welfare inequality compared to other provinces in Iran, and a significant portion of the province's population has only abdominal satiety. This has led to an increase in short stature, cardiovascular disease, cancer, obesity, diabetes, tooth decay and gastrointestinal diseases among Tehran families. In this regard, although with the decision of the Working Group on Health and Food Security and the participation of various agencies, programs have been carried out to improve the level of health and nutrition of the residents of the province, but the prevalence of various deficiencies and diseases may be due to lack of nutrients in the food basket and as a result of food insecurity.Materials and Methods: Since ensuring health and food security is one of the strategic goals of the 20-year vision document of the country, in the present study, households living in Tehran province were first divided into three lower income deciles, four middle deciles and three upper income deciles according to the raw data of the income expenditure of the Statistics Center of Iran. Then based on the classification of the commodity group of the Statistics Center of Iran and using the nutritional performance matrix, the level of nutrient intake in different income deciles of Tehran province in 2018 has been investigated. Then, using the Matching method, nutrient consumption, the diversity and food security of the province's income deciles have been analyzed.Results and Discussion: The results showed that the level of calcium, iron and vitamin C intake among households in the lower three deciles of Tehran province is very low and an adult received only about 14, 487 and 75 mg of these three nutrients per day. As for other nutrients, an adult in the lower three deciles of income received protein and vitamin A 72 mg and 551 micrograms, respectively which is at the minimum daily requirement and only carbohydrates and vitamin B1 has been received 339 g and 1.5 mg, respectively which is above the minimum daily requirement. It should be noted that in all income deciles, the level of carbohydrate intake is more than triple the daily threshold required by an adult (130 g). Finally, according to the results, the lower three deciles of income have lower diversity and food security than the other deciles.Conclusion: Considering the current situation of receiving micronutrients in Tehran province, the culture and nutritional literacy of households has a great importance and role that responsible organizations can play an important role in promoting it through culture as well as specialized and general education. At the same time, the stability of food prices along with the provision of cash grants and targeted food packages can increase the consumption and food diversity of households and significantly increase food security in poor households, especially women and children. In this regard, considering that a significant part of the country's resources is wasted annually in the form of hidden and non-targeted subsidies, Iran ranks first in the world in the payment of non-targeted food and fuel subsidies, therefore, targeting subsidies and paying cash and non-cash subsidies with proper identification of the target community, in accordance with the conditions of the country is an important issue that should be considered by policy makers.
A. Hashemi Nejad; A. Abdeshahi; M. Ghanian; B. Khosravipour
Abstract
Introduction: One of the most important challenges facing the world is how to feed expected population by 2050. Despite trying to increase food production over the past half-century, food security has been a strategic issue and an important goal of agricultural policies in many countries by challenges ...
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Introduction: One of the most important challenges facing the world is how to feed expected population by 2050. Despite trying to increase food production over the past half-century, food security has been a strategic issue and an important goal of agricultural policies in many countries by challenges including population grow, increasing demand, natural resources erosion, etc. One of the critical dimensions in achieving food security is expanding food supply chain. A food supply chain can be defined as a set of interdependent components include of input supply, production, storage, processing, marketing, distribution and consumption or as the activities from ‘farm to fork’. Bread supply chain in Iran, is one of the most important food supply chain because bread is considered as the most important food source and is staple food of choice, so it has a special place in household’s nutrition pattern that supply 46.2% and 59.3% of energy for urban and rural people. Also, wheat is the raw material of bread and one of the strategic and critical crops in Iran agriculture. More than 80% of wheat consumption in Iran is predominantly used for bread. Wheat is the staple food of the national diet of Iranian households, who draw, on average, 47% of their daily calorie from wheat products. Although the population of Iran is nearly 1% of world population, it consumes roughly 2.5% of wheat produced worldwide. But, wheat is exposed to different kinds of risks such as natural disasters, including environmental concerns and climate change, pests and diseases, market vacillations and government policy that affect bread supply chain performance. So, the objective of this study is to explore factors affecting wheat production risk in bread supply chain.
Materials and Methods: In this study regression analysis was used to determine the effects of variables on wheat production risk. The used data was time series for wheat production, wheat guarantee price, harvested area, rainfall, temperature, wheat axial plan, seed consumption, wheat import and export variables during 1982-2014. In order to explore factors affecting wheat production risk, at first wheat production variance as the risk criterion was estimated by ARCH (2) Model. The used data in the study was time series and therefore applying Ordinary Least Squares method in estimating regression equation would lead to pseudo regression. Since based on Augmented Dicky-Fuller method, variables were combination of I (0) and I (1), therefore Autoregressive Distributed Lag Model has been used to determine short run and long run relationship.
Results and Discussion: Results revealed that wheat production risk was affected by population, wheat imports, rainfall, wheat guaranteed prices, harvested area and wheat axial plan variables which population, import, rainfall, harvested area had a positive effect and guaranteed price and wheat axle plan had a negative effect on wheat production risk. Therefore increasing population growth, import, rainfall and harvested area would lead to risk increase while increasing price and the implementation of wheat axis plan would reduce wheat production risk. So, increasing population and consumption, have also increased wheat import in recent years. While wheat import have reduced domestic production and farmers' incentives that would lead to increased wheat production risk. The tools used by governments for increasing domestic production against wheat import and increasing producer’s incentives are guaranteed price and wheat axial plan. Another effective cause of wheat production risk was climate changes and extreme weather events. Farmers’ economic profit was influenced severely and even determined by climate changes and weather events. Also, during this period, wheat harvested area had nearly doubled. This growing trend has also increased the risk of wheat production.
Conclusion: wheat is a strategic crops in Iran. So, it is necessary to reduce its production risk. Wheat production risk was reduced by applying weather-based crop insurance scheme, sustaining the guaranteed price of wheat, supporting plans such as wheat axial plan, improving policies such as wheat imports and optimizing harvested area.
M. Sheibani; F. Rastegaripour; T. Mohtashami
Abstract
Introduction: Food security not only requires an adequate supply of food, but also manages the equitable distribution of food and income. The FAO estimates that about 98% of the world's food insecure and malnourished people live in developing countries, with the largest number of malnourished people ...
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Introduction: Food security not only requires an adequate supply of food, but also manages the equitable distribution of food and income. The FAO estimates that about 98% of the world's food insecure and malnourished people live in developing countries, with the largest number of malnourished people living in Asia and the Pacific. Given that the majority of the populations of developing countries live in rural areas, improving the level of food security of rural households is a very prominent goal in developing countries. In Iran also, the ratio of severe malnutrition is 4.9% of the total population. The poverty line in Khorasan Razavi rural areas has increased by 28.4% in the summer of 2018 compared to the spring of 2018, which may indicate that more people are below the poverty line in 2018 than in previous years. Also, in comparing the rural and urban poverty line in Khorasan Razavi, the rural poverty line had a higher growth compared with the urban poverty line during this period, that indicate an increase in poverty in these areas. So, it is important to examine food security situation especially in these areas and identify the variables that determine it. The aim of current study is to analyze the nutritional status of rural households in Khorasan Razavi province.
Materials and Methods: Data for the study are prepared by collecting 400 questionnaires from 40 villages selected by multistage cluster sampling in 2019 in Khorasan Razavi province. In this study Berry index and food group counts were used to assess dietary diversity. Using the FAO classification and the human nutritional pyramid, consumed foods were pooled into 14 groups. These include bread, vegetables, fruits, meat, fish and seafood, oils and butter, pastries, spices, cereals, nuts and seeds, eggs, milk and dairy products, Potatoes, drinks and rice. In the Berry Index, dietary diversity is measured by the number and distribution of food consumption and in the food group index, food scores are measured using the 24-hour dietary method. In order to investigate the factors affecting the equal share of rural households' food consumption, the Ordinal Logit model was used. The dependent variable was divided into five groups: very low food diversity, low food diversity, downward average food diversity, upward average food diversity and high food diversity.
Results and Discussion: Based on results, average index of food groups in the region is 6.08, which indicate that dietary diversity is at a moderate and favorable level, but the average of the Berry index in the study area is 0.83. On average, dietary diversity, and consequently food security, is moderately lower and almost desirable. The difference between the minimum and maximum numerical values of both indices in the sample showed a significant difference between dietary diversity and food security in the studied sample. Thus, the studied rural households are in a moderate level of food security in terms of number of consumed food groups but in moderately low level in terms of share of food groups' consumption. Using the ordinal logit model, variables including gender, education, housing status, monthly food cost, household purchasing power index, awareness, market access and food aid all positively influence household dietary diversity. In other words, increases in the level of these independent variables increase the likelihood that households will be at higher levels of dietary diversity. Parallel regression tests were used to determine whether the ordinal logit model is a suitable model and after performing the relevant test, the ordinal logit model provided the parallel regression condition and the ordinal logit model provided a suitable model.
Conclusion: According to the results of the study, improving the food security of rural households in the region requires providing suitable employment opportunities for female-headed households and providing facilities such as micro-credit for setting up and developing household businesses. It is also needed to provide food aids in a variety of food baskets for rural households.
F. Moazzezi; G.R. Yavari; S.H. Mosavi; M. Bagheri
Abstract
Introduction: The potential impacts of climate change on water resources and food security are receiving growing attention especially in regions that face growing challenges like water demands for agricultural, domestic and environmental uses. The anticipated climate change are likely to impact water ...
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Introduction: The potential impacts of climate change on water resources and food security are receiving growing attention especially in regions that face growing challenges like water demands for agricultural, domestic and environmental uses. The anticipated climate change are likely to impact water resources (surface water and groundwater) by altering precipitation patterns and change in nature of rainfall regimes. Apart from the effects on water availability, climate change is expected to adversely affect crop productivity, food security and food producers' income. Climate changes could affect the four dimensions of food security; food availability, access, utilization, and stability. Therefore, this study aims at investigating the economic effects of climate change on the agricultural sector (including the yield of crops, water resources, food security and profitability) in Hamadan-Bahar plain. The hypothesis tested in this research is that climate change has negative impacts on the agricultural sector in the study area and it is necessary to present solutions to reduce these effects. Accordingly, the question answered in this study is whether climate changes in the region reduces crop yields, the profitability of the agricultural sector, and aggravate the scarcity of water resources. For this purpose in this study, the effects of climate change in different scenarios on regional cultivation pattern, basic food cultivation pattern, gross profit of farmers, physical and economic productivity of water and food security in Hamedan-Bahar plain have been investigated and then various suggestions to these problems have been presented.
Materials and Methods: For this purpose, the physiological, hydrological and meteorological aspects of the problem were integrated into an economic model and the changes in cultivation pattern of the plain were projected in counterfactual climatic scenarios. Accordingly, the outputs of the HadCM3 model under the scenarios of B1 (optimistic) and A2 (pessimistic) were utilized for the fourth report; additionally, the outputs of the ensemble model under RCP 2.6 (optimistic) and RCP 8.5 (pessimistic) scenarios were used for the fifth report of IPCC. Then, the variables of rainfall and temperature for the horizon of 2070 were predicted under scenarios B1, A2, RCP2.6 and RCP8.5 using the Lars-WG model. In this regard, the yield response functions of the products with respect to climatic parameters by the Generalized Maximum Entropy method (GME) were estimated and the elasticity of the yield of the products with regard to temperature and rainfall were calculated. Then products yield changes on the 2070 horizon under different climate change scenarios were predicted and by including it in a positive mathematical programming (PMP), the impact of different climate change scenarios on regional cultivation pattern, basic food cultivation pattern, gross profit of farmers, physical and economic productivity of water and food security were examined. To estimate the yield response regression model and predict climate changes by LARS_WG model, the data on the period 1982-1982 were used. Also the data and information of farmers were obtained using a two-stage cluster sampling method in 2018 (baseline).
Results and Discussion: The results indicate an increase in temperature, a decrease in precipitation, a decrease in the supply of water resources, and consequently a decrease in the yield of most basic food products and an increase in the yield of some vegetable and summer crops were anticipated in all scenarios. The results also showed that the occurrence of the mentioned consequences has negative effects on the total production of crops, the amount of production of basic food products and the gross profit of farmers in the region. And in this regard, in the most pessimistic scenario on the horizon of 2070, it will impose a loss of 490 billion rials on farmers. The increase in the physical and economic efficiency of water in different scenarios shows that water is becoming more valuable due to the decrease in the quantity of water due to climate change. Therefore the economic value of water would increase in the future decades in Hamadan-Bahar plain, which itself represents the severity of water scarcity in the agricultural sector.
Conclusion: The occurrence of climate change by affecting water resources, crop yields, cultivated area, food production and ultimately farmers' incomes, in addition to imposing economic and environmental losses, would affect various aspects of food security such as food availability, access, stability and utilization. Accordingly, in order to maintain and improve the yield of crops and reduce the possible losses imposed on income and food security of the region, it is vital to adopt appropriate strategies compatible with climate change, including the use of new irrigation technologies, deficit irrigation methods and to reform the cultivation pattern by selecting products with higher economic value in order that increase water productivity. Finally improving management of water resources and farmers' income at the plant, farm and region levels, is crucial.
S. Naghavi; A. Mirzaei
Abstract
Introduction: Food security is one of the main goals of economic growth and development of each country. , in this study, Due to the importance of agricultural sector in food security, the effect of agricultural productivity and Business environment on food production index in Iran was investigated using ...
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Introduction: Food security is one of the main goals of economic growth and development of each country. , in this study, Due to the importance of agricultural sector in food security, the effect of agricultural productivity and Business environment on food production index in Iran was investigated using Bayesian network during 2001-2016. One of the indicators of food security that is based on micro data is the food production index. The food production index includes food products that are considered edible and contain nutrients. But coffee and tea are an exception, because although they are edible, they have no nutritional value. This index is calculated as the ratio of food production value to the value of basic food production. Also, the health and food security of a country is directly dependent on agricultural production. One of the important indicators in the field of improving domestic production and subsequent food security is improving business environment, which its role in increasing production, especially in the agricultural sector, has been ignored. Improving the business environment is a key step in developing private sector investment, product and employment in the country. Although many studies have attempted to investigate effective factors on food security, but impact of the agricultural productivity index and business environment has not been considered. The institutional environment in which all economic businesses are formed, or have gone bankrupt and exit is called the business environment of economic activities. Improving the business environment by increasing entrepreneurship, increasing investment, reducing the informal sector, reducing production costs and prices of domestic goods, strengthening property rights, reducing corruption and reducing smuggling will increase economic growth. In this study, the effect of two factors of agricultural sector productivity and business environment on food security as factors affecting domestic production has been investigated. Various studies have proven the establishment of food security through supportive policies in the agricultural sector and increasing production in this sector. None of the studies, in particular, examined the effect of agricultural productivity on food security.
Materials and Method: In this study, the effect of agricultural productivity and Business environment on food production index in Iran is investigated using Bayesian network during 2001-2016. The Bayesian network is a probabilistic graph pattern that shows a set of variables and probabilities associated with each. This network is a straightforward, cyclical graph in which nodes are problem variables. The structure of a Bayesian network is, in fact, a graph of the interaction of the variables to be modeled. In addition to showing the quality of the relationship between the problem variables, it also shows the quantity of the relationship between these variables. Each network consists of three components: 1) nodes 2) the relationship between nodes and 3) the conditional probability table of nodes. The variables in the graph and the links show the relationships between the variables. The conditional probability table is also used to define the conditional probability of causal relationships.
Results and Discussion: The results showed that the increase in the real exchange rate, agricultural productivity, water productivity in the agricultural sector, and the improvement of the business environment have led to an increase in the food production index in Iran. The business environment is very important in the prosperity of production because an unfavorable business environment would increase production costs and reduce the competitiveness of goods in the international arena. Inadequate business environment has a significant impact on reducing economic growth and, consequently, the growth of the agricultural sector. Agriculture is considered as an area or platform for business. Therefore the development of agricultural businesses is also a manifestation of entrepreneurial behavior in this sector. Improving the business environment is a key step in the development of private sector investment, production and employment in the country. By providing the right conditions for competitiveness and effective entry of the private sector, a decisive role in it plays the economic growth and development of the country. Therefore, simplifying the licensing process; Reducing administrative procedures and time to enforce customs tariffs and simplifying rules and regulations are effective in improving the business environment.
The health and food security of a country is directly dependent on the production of the agricultural sector. The results showed that the share of value added of the agricultural sector in GDP and grain production, as indicators of agricultural productivity, has a positive effect on food security. The agricultural sector has an important role to play in achieving a prosperous production and food security. Therefore, the need to pay attention to the agricultural sector and appropriate support for this sector is felt. Increasing the level of productivity can improve economic growth, optimal use of resources, cost reduction, profitability and production capacity. For this purpose, it is necessary to review the necessary parameters in the design of irrigation systems and to develop design instructions according to the crisis water and soil conditions of the country.
E. Pishbahar; R. Ferdowsi; B. Hayati
Abstract
Introduction: The dairy industry in Iran, for the proper use of production capacities and achieving a desirable position in a competitive environment, especially in the international arena, first requires the success of the domestic market using the right marketing methods. As a result, knowing the appropriate ...
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Introduction: The dairy industry in Iran, for the proper use of production capacities and achieving a desirable position in a competitive environment, especially in the international arena, first requires the success of the domestic market using the right marketing methods. As a result, knowing the appropriate marketing strategies with respect to the company's situation can help further the growth of this industry. Marketing strategy is a tool for the organization to respond to competitive situations, and the existing frameworks in this field will help the company to effectively interact with the strategic sectors of the company and external factors. The marketing strategy can help create and develop knowledge and skills in the company, focus on customer needs, facilitate information and activity in a dynamic market environment. Due to the changing environment, having the appropriate strategy can help firms survive and gain competitive advantage; because the chosen strategy must also satisfy the needs of the target market, as well as comply with market and organizational objectives.
Material and Methods: Given that measures the quantity and quality as compliance with sanitary and environmental, risks, the economic - commercial, customer satisfaction, a competitive advantage, innovation and alignment with the market and align with internal process influence on appropriate marketing strategy and often are interdependent, it is a difficult, complex and cumbersome activity. In this research, by study of library resources, the most important criteria on the choice of appropriate marketing strategy to sell dairy products of Eastern Azerbaijan Pegah Company were identified. Due to the difficulties, using of tools that could be modeling network relationships could be useful. DEMATEL method is one of the known methods for determining network relationships between variables. So in this article a hybrid model based on Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), DEMATEL and VIKOR techniques have been proposed to prioritize marketing strategies. For this purpose, the weight of criteria is calculated by AHP method and using a pair wise comparison process. Then DEMATEL method according to the interdependence criteria, reform its weight importance. Finally, VIKOR method is used for prioritizing alternatives (strategies).
Results and Discussion: In the first stage of this research, with the assumption of the independence of the criteria, a AHP model was used to calculate the weights of the criteria. In the next stage, assuming the interdependence between the criteria, a hybrid method AHP-DEMATEL was used, and it was found that the final weight obtained both methods are almost identical, and the result is that the criteria of the model are not interdependent. In addition, based on the weights obtained for the criteria, the most important criteria were as follows: compliance with the health and environment, align with the internal process, risk, economic-commercial, having competitive advantage, innovation and alignment with the market, and customer satisfaction. The DEMATEL technique also concludes that Pegah should consider the competitive advantage criterion as the most important criterion in choosing its marketing strategy because it takes the most impact from other criteria and has the most impact on other criteria. In the last step, four considered strategies in the present study were ranked with VIKOR method and concluded that diversification and focus strategies are the first priority for the East Azerbaijan Pegah company. In addition, the integration strategy and defensive strategy respectively are the second and third priority.
Conclusions: The results of AHP model showed that compliance with the principles of health and environmental criteria is mainly criteria in the selection marketing strategy of the company. The results of DEMATEL techniques showed that the risk, economic - trade and innovation criteria and to align with market standards are cause criteria and among them, the criterion of "economic-commercial" has the greatest impact on other criteria. While compliance with the principles of environmental and health standards, customer satisfaction, competitive advantage and alignment with the company's internal process criteria are disabled. The results of VIKOR model also showed that diversity and focus strategies are first priority for the Pegah Azerbaijan Company. Then, the impact of each of the criteria obtained on four marketing strategy including the integration strategy, focus strategy, diversification strategy and defense strategy were reviewed and defensive strategy as the best marketing strategy for Eastern Azerbaijan Pegah Company was determined. And integration strategy, diversification strategy and focus strategy are the next priorities respectively. Be recommended that the Eastern Azerbaijan Pegah corporate executives instead of using plastic bags, bottles and plastic packaging, use bags that are biodegradable in the environment. The company directors also have a long-term plan to develop new products, and to understand the needs and demands of customers and their complaints and herds increase customer satisfaction.
A. Khanzadi; M.Sh. Karimi; N. Shokri
Abstract
Introduction: The most comprehensive definition of food security, defined in 1996 World Food Summit, as follows: “Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, Safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an ...
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Introduction: The most comprehensive definition of food security, defined in 1996 World Food Summit, as follows: “Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, Safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life”. Food Availability: The availability of sufficient quantities of food of appropriate quality, supplied through domestic production or imports (including food aid). Food Access: Access by individuals to adequate resources (entitlements) for acquiring appropriate foods for a nutritious diet. Entitlements are defined as the set of all commodity bundles over which a person can establish command given the legal, political, economic and social arrangements of the community in which they live (including traditional rights such as access to common resources).
Utilization: Utilization of food through adequate diet, clean water, sanitation, and healthcare to reach a state of nutritional well-being where all Physiological needs are met. This brings out the importance of non-food inputs in food security.
Stability: To be food secure, a population, household or individual must have access to adequate food at all times. They should not risk losing access to food as a consequence of sudden shocks (e.g. an economic or climatic crisis) or cyclical events (e.g. seasonal food insecurity). The concept of stability can, therefore, refer to both the availability and access dimensions of food security.
Materials and Methods: The complexity of food security estimation is beyond its definition and analysis. The indices such as the ratio of food supply per capita to required food, self-sufficiency, changes in production and consumption that shows sustainability in supply are usually used at global and national levels. This study used an index, which is satisfactory to estimate food security in Kermanshah Province, by considering an important part of the factors effective in food security. The index was offered by IFAD and it was calculated as follows:
In the above relation:
xl is the daily calories supply per capita in proportion to the required calories,
x2 is the annual growth rate of daily energy supply per capita,
x3 is food products production index,
x4 is self-sufficiency index,
x5 is production changes,
And x6 is consumption changes.
The first relation of this equation shows food security on the side of supply and demand (production and import) and the second relation shows it on the side of production. Means of the weight of two expressions, i.e. food consumption security with a coefficient of 0.77 and food production security with a coefficient of 0.23, shows food security index. Therefore, both the overall foodstuff supply and internal production role should be considered for a correct estimation of food security condition. Of course, further weight is considered for the first relation because supply provision in the first place is important - even through importing.
Results and Discussion: In this study, the food security of Kermanshah province has been assessed by using the FSI index. The results of calculations during the years 2004-2015 showed that the average of food security index, taking into account the 2100 calories standard, indicated the existence of food security in Kermanshah province, and considering the standard of 2300 calories, there was evidence of a lack in the food security of Kermanshah province. Another result of this study was that Kermanshah province has been self-sufficient in producing major food products during the studied period.
Conclusions: The detailed food security index in the province provides the following suggestions to improve the food security situation:
1- According to a survey conducted in the country, the unemployment rate of Kermanshah province according to the statistical center of Iran in the autumn of 2017 was 25.6%, which has the highest unemployment rate in the country. According to the self-sufficiency index of Kermanshah province, in all years this province has self-sufficiency in agricultural production and have no problem, but the problem of unemployment and consequently the low-income level of citizens causes the reduction in food security. Therefore, the implementation of policies to improve the province's employment status will consequently lead to improving food security.
2- Although Kermanshah Province has been in a favorable position in terms of self-sufficiency index of agricultural production; by developing the mechanized and modern agriculture of this province, it is possible to develop production and employment as well as to export agricultural products to other provinces, And even other countries of the region.
3- In the field of agricultural production in Kermanshah province, the necessity of adding conversion industries is felt because in this province, mainly, agricultural products are used raw and are not used industrially. On the other hand, Conversion industries will promote the value added of primary products and ultimately lead to improving food security.
A.R. Nikooie; M. Zibaei
Abstract
Irrigated agriculture is an important contributor to the expansion of national food supplies and is expected to play a major role in food security of developing countries. Such countries face water crisis for securing the food staples. Well designed water resource policies potentially can improve the ...
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Irrigated agriculture is an important contributor to the expansion of national food supplies and is expected to play a major role in food security of developing countries. Such countries face water crisis for securing the food staples. Well designed water resource policies potentially can improve the water allocation and use efficiency as well as the food security objectives. This paper presents an hyrdro-economic model implemented through the development of an integrated basin framework for sustaining water resources uses and addressing the food security goals. The objective is to maximize the discounted net present value of the sum of both use and environmental economic benefits over a 10 year time horizon, subject to the basin’s hydrological, agronomic, institutional, and economic structure. Using this approach, optimal water allocations and uses is examined in Zayandeh-Rud River Basin of central Iran. This policy is evaluated against a background of two alternative hydrologic supply scenarios. Three important data sources including survey data, incidental studies, reports, and selected expert knowledge were used to assign all needed data for the model. Results reveal that this program not only increases basin's irrigation efficiency, but also improves the food security through increasing proportional sharing of downstream irrigated districts in the food staple productions under reduced water supply. The study approach and the results contributes to realize effective policies toward sustainable management of water resources under water scarcity circumstances. We conclude that river basin analysis within an integrated framework would considerably enhance the effectiveness of sustainable water resource management as well as provide food security for current and future generations.