International assessment of food security: global values and rating positions of Belarus

Abstract

Food security largely determines stability of the entire economic system. Belarus is one of the states with self-sufficient production of food resources, and has also arranged a significant export potential in agri-food sector of economy. Experts from various international organizations, as well as thematic divisions of media companies, analyze the global food situation, including the one in Belarus. In this regard, third parties’ views on the Belarusian model of food security, its position in global rating, identification of strengths and weaknesses, comparison with the most successful states are of particular interest, which determined the study relevance. The article presents systematic analysis of the main international food safety ratings. A range of international assessments of efficiency of ensuring food security in the Republic of Belarus, as well as its structural elements are analyzed. Results and findings of foreign experts are compared with own techniques and methodological approaches to assessing the national food security of the Republic of Belarus. It has been determined that the Republic of Belarus was in the 36th place in the world or 20th place in the European region according to the GFSI index. At the same time, over the past two years, the country’s global position has increased by 12 points due to a significant improvement in terms of physical availability of food, as well as high indicators previously achieved in terms of economic accessibility, quality and safety of agricultural raw materials and finished foodstuffs. It has been noted that approaches to ensuring food security of the Republic of Belarus were highly appreciated by foreign experts. Use of the proposed results and proposals in practice will determine the prospects for increasing efficiency of ensuring the country’s food security, in particular, via improvement of economic and physical accessibility, as well as achieving the goal of the Doctrine of National Food Security of the Republic of Belarus until 2030. Acknowledgments. The research was carried out as part of the state program of scientific research “Quality and Efficiency of Agroindustrial Production” for 2016-2020, subprogram 1 “AIC Economy”, as well as in accordance with the provisions, criteria and parameters of the Doctrine of National Food Security of the Republic of Belarus until 2030, approved by the Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus dated December 15, 2017 No. 962.

Principal directions for improving the mechanism for ensuring food security of the Republic of Belarus

“…Несмотря на ряд положительных тенденций, в ходе исследований были выявлены потенциальные угрозы продовольственной безопасности с позиции экономической доступности продовольствия [10]. Так, фактическое значение удельного веса расходов на питание в структуре потребительских расходов домашних хозяйств все еще превышает допустимое значение в 35,0 %, хотя и прослеживается движение к заданному эталонному уровню.…”