Abstract:
This study makes a comparative analyses of the food security situation of 13 Indian states for time
period of 1985-2009 and 56 Thai provinces for time period of 2008-2011. For India a state wise
analyses and for Thailand a province wise food security index is estimated. The index is determined
by its key factors and subsequently the impact of climatic and non-climatic factors on constructed
food security index is estimated. The food security index is based on major components including
availability, stability, and accessibility of food. The index for both countries is estimated utilizing
panel data analysis. To create food security index, 26 and 18 key factor of food security were used
for India and Thailand respectivley; and simple descriptive method was applied. Empirical results
based on Driscoll-Kraay standard errors regression model show that climate variability has negative
and statistically significant association with food secuirty index and its components in both countries.
Poverty and food security has a cause and effect relationship and vice versa in India. Government
expenditure, irriagaed area, increasing application of fertilizers in some pockets and higher
participation of literate persons in agriculture could be crucial factors to mitigate the adverse effects
of climate variability in India and Thailand. Descriptive results for India show that Uttar Pradesh and
Madhya Pradesh are most agrarian states of country but both are most food insecure regions also due
to high incidence of poverty.
