Effect of Agricultural Sustainability on Food Security of Urban Households in Iran: A Spatial Analysis at Provincial Level

This study aimed at exploring the spatial effects of agricultural sustainability on food security of urban households in Iran over the period of 2005-15. For this purpose, first, the overall level of agricultural sustainability was calculated using a combination of agricultural sustainability and weighting indicators based on Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method. Then, the household food security index (AHFSI) was used to determine the food security of households in urban areas. Finally, the effectiveness of agricultural sustainability on food security of urban households while other effective factors in place was examined using the mixed Spatial Autoregressive (SAR) model. The results of the model indicated a positive and significant effect of agricultural sustainability on food security in urban households, and the significance of the dependent spatial interruption coefficient confirmed the existence of spatial effects. So, the results of calculating the direct and indirect effects of agricultural sustainability index on the food security of each province and neighboring provinces were positive and significant. These results indicated the intra- and inter-provincial overflows. Therefore, it is imperative for policymakers of the agricultural sector to invest in production infrastructure such as seeds, fertilizers and agricultural practices with a focus on enhancing sustainable production as a prerequisite for the establishment of sustainable food security.