CONCEPTUAL FUNDAMENTALS OF DEVELOPMENT OF THE FOOD SECURITY SYSTEM

Abstract

The paper highlights the system of food security of the state. The purpose of the article is to study food security of Ukraine and identify preconditions for forming the system of its provision. The subject-matter of the study is the theoretical and practical aspects of providing food security in the country. In the process of the study, the following methods were used: dialectical – to reveal regularities and factors of the food security system, system analysis – to identify the essence of food security of the country, graphical analysis – for a schematic representation of generalized theoretical and practical results of the research, logical generalization of the results – to substantiate the basic preconditions for forming a system for ensuring food security of the country. The stable system of ensuring food security of the population, the development of the agro-industrial complex and the food industry are important factors in improving the country’s economic welfare. Key problems in ensuring the food security of Ukraine are analysed, among them are: low level of real incomes of the majority of the population; reduction in the share of small and medium businesses; low competitiveness of agriculture and food industry; insufficiently developed infrastructure of the food market; rising unemployment; increase in grain export volumes; deterioration of agricultural land quality; environmental pollution; the level of urbanization of the population. Main preconditions for forming the food security system are identified and substantiated: creation of favourable institutional environment that requires completion of the land reform in Ukraine; increasing the efficiency of agricultural land use; expanding the tools of state support for agricultural production; stimulating the development of crop and livestock industry; expansion of integration and technological links between agricultural producers and food industry enterprises. Based on the results obtained, the author determined the factors and conditions of the food security system.