FOOD INSECURITY PEOPLE FROM ROMANIA AND NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES

Sergiu-Constantin Delan, Mihai-Ștefan Gherhes, Fabio Alexandru Neagu-Corici, Ioana Mihaela Bălan, Gheorghe Adrian Firu Negoescu, TEODOR IOAN TRASCA

Abstract


Food insecurity represents a pressing social and economic challenge in Romania and its neighbouring countries, affecting vulnerable populations such as low-income families, children, and the elderly. This paper aims to analyze the causes, consequences, and potential solutions to food insecurity in the region. Using recent statistical data, literature review, and case studies, the study highlights the impact of poverty, unemployment, social inequalities, and environmental factors on access to adequate nutrition. The findings reveal significant disparities between urban and rural areas and underline the urgent need for targeted policies, social programs, and community-based interventions. The paper concludes with recommendations to improve food security, emphasizing the importance of coordinated efforts at local, national, and regional levels.


Keywords


food insecurity; poverty; social inequalities; public policies; community interventions

Full Text:

PDF

References


ALTHUMIRI N.A., BASYOUNI M.H., DUHAIM A.F., ALMOUSA N., AL

JUWAYSIM M.F., BINDHIM N.F., 2021, Understanding Food Waste, Food Insecurity, and the Gap between the Two: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study in Saudi Arabia, Foods, 10, pp. 681.

ASCHEMANN-WITZEL JESSICA, DE HOOGE ILONA, AMANI PEGAH,

BECH-LARSEN TINO, OOSTINDJER MARIJE, 2015, Consumer-related food waste: Causes and potential for action, Sustainability 7(6), pp. 6457-6477. https://doi.org/10.3390/su7066457

BALAN I.M., 2025, Addressing food waste and hunger together, Nat Hum Behav, 9, 2217–2218. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-025-02337-9

BALAN I. M., GHERMAN E. D., BRAD I., GHERMAN R., HORABLAGA A.,

TRASCA T.I., 2022, Metabolic food waste as food insecurity factor—causes and preventions, Foods, 11(15), pp. 2179. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11152179

BALAN I. M., GHERMAN E. D., GHERMAN R., BRAD I., PASCALAU R.,

POPESCU G., TRASCA T.I., 2022, Sustainable nutrition for increased food security related to Romanian consumers’ behavior, Nutrients, 14(22), pp. 4892. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14224892

BALAN I. M., TRASCA T.I., BRAD I., BELC N., TULCAN C., RADOI B.P.,

RINOVETS A. E., KIBA D.I., 2023, Approaches to Limiting Food Loss and Food Waste. In Transitioning to Zero Hunger. Chapter, MDPI 215–244. https://doi.org/10.3390/books978-3-03897-863-3-9

BALAN I. M., TRASCA T. I., IANCU T., BELC N., RADULOV I., TULCAN C., 2024, Food safety in the Sustainable Food Industry. In Smart Food Industry: The Blockchain for Sustainable Engineering, Chapter, pp. 218–239. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781003231172-16

DREWNOWSKI ADAM, 2020, Analysing the affordability of the EAT–Lancet diet, The Lancet Global Health 8, e6-e7. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2214-109X(19)30502-9

GENCIA A.D., BALAN I.M., 2024 Reevaluating Economic Drivers of Household Food Waste: Insights, Tools, and Implications Based on European GDP Correlations, Sustainability, 16, pp. 7181. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16167181

HANLEY-COOK G.T., ARGAW A.A., DE KOK B.P., 2021, EAT–Lancet diet

score requires minimum intake values to predict higher micronutrient adequacy of diets in rural women of reproductive age from five low- and middle-income countries, British Journal of Nutrition, 126(1), pp. 92-100. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114520003864

HIRVONEN KALLE, BAI YAN, HEADEY DEREK, MASTERS WILLIAM A.,

, Cost and Affordability of the EAT- Lancet Diet in 159 Countries.

http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3405576

LLANAJ E., VINCZE F., KÓSA Z., BÁRDOS H., DIÓSZEGI J., SÁNDOR J.,

ÁDÁNY R., 2021, Deteriorated dietary patterns with regards to health and environmental sustainability among Hungarian Roma are not differentiated from those of the general population, Nutrients 13(3), pp. 721.

LILE R., OCNEAN M., BALAN I. M., KIBA D. I., 2023, Challenges for Zero Hunger (SDG 2): Links with Other SDGs. In Transitioning to Zero Hunger. Chapter, MDPI 9–66.

PASHOVA SABKA, 2020, Consumers’ Attitude Towards Traditional Bulgarian Food, Electron. J. Econ. Comput. Sci 2, pp. 14-26.

https://eknigibg.net/Volume6/Issue2/spisanie-br2-2020_pp.14-26.pdf

RITCHIE HANNAH, PABLO ROSADO, MAX ROSER, 2023, Hunger and

Undernourishment, Published online at OurWorldinData.org. Retrieved from: 'https://ourworldindata.org/hunger-and-undernourishment' [Online Resource]

STURZA RODICA, GHENDOV-MOŞANU ALIONA, 2021, Food, nutrition, and health in Moldova. In Nutritional and Health Aspects of Food in the Balkans, Chapter, 249-262, Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-820782-6.00021-9

TRASCA TEODOR IOAN, OCNEAN MONICA, GHERMAN REMUS, LILE

RAUL ADRIAN, BALAN IOANA MIHAELA, BRAD IOAN, TULCAN CAMELIA, FIRU NEGOESCU GHEORGHE ADRIAN, 2024, Synergy between the Waste of Natural Resources and Food Waste Related to Meat Consumption in Romania, Agriculture, 14(4), 644. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14040644

TOTI E., DI MATTIA C., SERAFINI M., 2019, Metabolic food waste and

ecological impact of obesity in FAO world’s region, Front. Nutr., 6, 126. https://doi.org/10.3389%2Ffnut.2019.00126

VERMEIR I., VERBEKE W., 2006, Sustainable Food Consumption: Exploring the Consumer “Attitude – Behavioral Intention” Gap, J. Agric. Environ. Ethics, 19, pp. 169–194. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10806-005-5485-3

ZAGMUTT FRANCISCO J., POUZOU JANE G., COSTARD SOLENNE, 2019, The EAT–Lancet Commission: a flawed approach?, The Lancet, 394(10204), pp. 1140-1141. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(19)31903-8

WILLETT WALTER, ROCKSTRÖM JOHAN, LOKEN BRENT, SPRINGMANN MARCO, LANG TIM, VERMEULEN SONJA, GARNETT TARA, 2019, Food in the Anthropocene: the EAT–Lancet Commission on healthy diets from sustainable food systems, The Lancet, 393(10170), pp. 447- 492. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(18)31788-4

*** FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED

NATIONS; EAT-LANCET COMMISSION, 2020, Processed by Our World in Data. https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/eat-lancet-dietcomparison?country=EATLancet~ROU~HUN~BGR~MDA~SRB~UKR

*** UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME, 2024, Food Waste Index Report. Think Eat Save: Tracking Progress to Halve Global Food Waste. https://wedocs.unep.org/20.500.11822/45230

*** WORLD BANK, https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL


Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2026 SERGIU DELAN, MIHAI GHERHES, FABIO ALEXANDRU NEAGU CORICI, TEODOR IOAN TRASCA, IOANA MIHAELA BALAN

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.


LUCRĂRI ȘTIINȚIFICE MANAGEMENT AGRICOL

ISSN print 1453-1410
ISSN online 2069-2307
(former ISSN 1453-1410, E-ISSN 2069-2307)

PUBLISHER: AGROPRINT Timisoara, Romania
PAPER ACCESS: Full text articles available for free
FREQUENCY: Annual
PUBLICATION LANGUAGE: English

______________________________________________________________________________________________

Banat`s University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine “King Michael I of Romania” from Timisoara
Faculty of Management and Rural Tourism
300645, Timisoara, Calea Aradului 119, Romania

E-mail: tabitaadamov2003 [at] yahoo.com
Phone: +40-256-277439, Fax.: +40-256-277031