Factors Affecting Food Security of Rural Farming Households in Kohkiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province of Iran

Household food security refers to the available and adequate food supplies for the households to make sure that the members are provided with the minimum requirements of food. According to the definition set by the United Nation in 1986, food availability, food access, and feeding sustainability are the three principle elements.
The present study has been undertaken regarding the importance of household food security as a contributing factor concerned with the adequate growth and evolution for all the household members, therefore members can provide their society with prosperity, productivity and average food security state. This research investigates the factors affecting food security of the rural farming households in Kohkiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province of Iran. Random sampling method was used to build a sample of 223 respondents including 223 householders from rural areas. Required data was extracted from household, expenditure and income report released by the Statistical Center of Iran.
The data was analysed using descriptive statistics, food security indices, food security shortage/surplus gap and probit model. The obtained results via the so-called calorie consumption method indicated that, 46% of rural households enjoy food security. These households were found to exceed recommended calorie consumption by 43%. In fact the rural households without food security were found to under take the recommended calorie consumption by 69%.
The householder income, the ratio of food expenditure to household expenditure and farm size positively contributed to the household food security, while householder gender, household size and householder education are negatively associated to the household food security.