ASSESSMENT OF SELF-SUFFICIENCY OF REGIONS IN THE FOOD SECTOR AS AN INDICATOR OF SUSTAINABILITY OF FOOD SECURITY

Abstract

Food self-sufficiency of regions is a significant factor in the formation and provision of their food security. A high level of self-sufficiency allows to reduce dependence on external supplies, stabilize food prices and ensure sustainable development of the agricultural sector. In the context of modern economic challenges, such as sanctions, changes in supply chains and price fluctuations in world markets, the study of self-sufficiency as a structural element of food security is of particular importance. In this regard, the purpose of the article is to assess the food self-sufficiency of regions as an indicator of their food security, as well as to determine the degree of its regional differentiation.

As a result of the study, it was determined that self-sufficiency is an important indicator of food security in a region and is largely determined by the level of agricultural development and natural and climatic conditions. Despite the general increase in self-sufficiency indicators, for most types of products, significant differences remain between regions and individual product categories. In order to improve the objectivity of the assessment and the possibility of interregional comparison, an integral index of food self-sufficiency is proposed, taking into account the structure of consumption and the share of self-sufficiency in the main types of food products. The application of cluster analysis using the integral index made it possible to identify three groups of regions with different levels of provision: low, medium and high. As a result of the analysis of the relationship between the self-sufficiency of regions in food, the level of consumer spending, it was concluded that the lower the level of self-sufficiency of regions in food, the higher the share of population spending on food.