Role of Icts in Improving Food Security of Iranian Rural Households

Farhad Lashgarara¹*, S. Mehdi Mirdamadi¹ and S. Jamal Farajollah Hosseini¹

Department of Agricultural Extension and Education, Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran Iran.

Corresponding Author E-mail:lashgarara@srbiau.ac.ir

ABSTRACT: Access to desirable, sufficient and safe food is one of the basic components of the development of a society. Information and communications technologies (ICTs) represent an important strategy that can be used in attaining food security. An increase in the capability of these technologies in different areas and the consideration of the problems that are faced by rural Iranian households regarding food accessibility are areas that need to be investigated. The main purpose of this research, performed in 2006-2007, was to identify the effectiveness of ICTs in improving the food security of Iranian rural households. A descriptive methodology was applied in this research, through questionnaires. The statistical population for the study included 253 agricultural extension experts; from this population, 170 persons were selected. The results showed that, according to the experts’ point of view, the situation of food security in Iranian rural households was unfavorable, but that ICTs could play an important role in improving this situation. The results of stepwise regressions showed that providing information about food, increasing food production, helping to market agricultural products, considering clientele needs, improving interactions and communications, ensuring appropriate ICTs, providing access to old technology and accessing the content of this type of technology, were determined to account for 78% of food security of Iranian rural households.

KEYWORDS: ICTs; food security; rural households; Iran

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