The application of food diversity index for the examination of food security in Iran’s rural areas

An examination of household’s nutritional performance is an appropriate tool in the determination of food availability. Three indices have been applied to examine the situation of food security in rural areas: mean adequacy ratio, Berry index and Entropy index. The results indicate that lower income deciles access to food is not acceptable and nutrients available to them are not adequate; in addition food diversity is less for low income groups in comparison to high income groups, which can be attributed to meager income of lower income decile households. Thus, the state should identify the households that need support, and this could be done by referring to the country’s food security plan, and subsidy payment system should be targeted and based on food items that are important in the provision of energy for individuals.