Quantitative analysis of food security in Khorasan razavi province based on potato production

The concept of food security is broader than sustainable agriculture that requires a wide range of factors to achieving its sustainability such as food availability, access, utilization and stability as the major pillars of food security. In this study required food security indicators were calculated and Potato consumption in Khorasan Razavi province were determined using questionnaires. Also premire farmers’ average yield was measured in two years. The results showed that there was a difference of 198.5 percent between the production of potato (63 g per person per day) and demand (125 g per person per day) and per capita production of potato was not equal to the demand. According to this, the need to import potatoes was equal to 155.5 thousands ton. However 2.4% of dietary energy, 2.8% protein, 11.9% of the vitamin C and between 1 to 10 percent of vitamins of B group was provided by the province’s potato production. The results also showed the premire farmers produce 22 percent higher than the estimates of the Ministry of Agriculture for the Province. This amount provided 80.8 g potato for daily per capita consumption and gap between potato production of the premire farmers and the province’s potato production was obtained 50.8 thousands ton. Although the results indicated on food insecurity in the province in terms of potato production and its dietary energy but emphasized on the regional potato production based on management practices implied by the premire farmers as an ecological intensification method effective in achieving sustainable food security.