Food Consumption and Ways to Ensure Food Security in Romania

Abstract

Increasingly, the future of food security has been becoming the global concern in the light of progressing climate change, scarcity of land, water, and other agricultural resources, population growth, increasing vulnerability of markets and trade, and poverty problem in many areas, especially in rural areas. In this context, the authors address food consumption and the ways of ensuring the food needs of the population in Romania, one of the largest agricultural producers among EU countries. The study shows that in 2000–2019, the share of food expenditure in total consumer expenditure decreased by 19.4% down to 31.2% amid the overall increase in various forms of income in Romania. However, Romania lags behind the EU average of 16%. This fact hides vulnerabilities in food security for disadvantaged groups of the population, especially low-income people, in the case of large households or certain ethnic groups (Romani/gypsy, in particular). In Romania, the coverage rate of food consumption from domestic production is achieved in a narrow group of staples, such as cereals, sheep and goat meat, and cabbage. The bulk of food supply depends on imports. Based on the analysis of food consumption parameters in 2000–2019, the 2020–2040 trend is built. It is estimated that Romania will continue experiencing a substantial deficit in food trade in the year to come. The equilibrium threshold of 100% can be reached by 2025–2026, while by 2040, exports will exceed imports by 23.2%.