The Relationship between Food Security and Total Factor Productivity in Apple Producers in Semirom

Food security and productivity are very important variables that affect social welfare and production level. Since a large proportion of employees in Semirom are engaged in apple gardening, this study aims to investigate the effect of increasing the productivity of all factors of apple production in improving the level of food security in Semirom city.

In order to answer the research questions, using Cochran's formula, 139 gardeners were selected and the required data were collected through interviews and completing a questionnaire by cluster sampling in 2020. First, the productivity of all factors of production and the level of food security of the surveyed households were measured using the Household Food Insecurity Access (HFIA) index.

The results of this analysis showed that gardeners are not in a good food security situation. Then, using Shazam software and estimating the coefficients of the variables in the logit model, the relationship between productivity and food security was investigated. The results showed that productivity had a positive and significant effect on food security of the studied farmers. Based on the final effect, the variables of productivity, income, and savings had the greatest effect on food security of the farmers. In order to create more employment and increase income for gardeners and their families, apple-related processing industries should be established.

The results of the study showed that apple gardeners of Semirom do not have good food security. It is recommended that younger people be educated by experienced farmers in the region.