Role of Agricultural Clusters in Provision of Food Security

Abstract

1. Introduction The issue of food security escalates every year, as the population of the Earth grows and the climate situation aggravates. At present, the concept of cluster development is used as a key element of the strategies of socio-economic development and provision of food security of the leading countries of the world. Thus, in particular, Danish, Finnish, and Swedish industries are fully clustered. Particular clusters work successfully in Germany (chemistry and machine building), France (production of food and cosmetics), Singapore (petrochemicals), Japan (car industry), and other countries of the world. In developing countries, there is an active discussion as to the possibility of use of cluster approach to the regulation of socio-economic development of regions. Unfortunately, as of now, cluster projects are not being implemented. However, the role of clusters in the development of regions is huge, as they are points of not only the region but of the whole national economy. Cluster, as a territorial and sectorial form of organization of production (through deepening of cooperation between cluster members) stipulates the development of targeted programs for economy development. Cluster policy should be conducted in cooperation with the bodies of state and regional authorities, scientific and research organizations, educational establishments, and business--as only such combination of efforts can lead to a high level of socio-economic development. Actuality of the study of agro-industrial clusters is confirmed by the growth of interest in the development of cooperation and creation of agro-industrial clusters (agricultural clusters) in various developed countries. The article offers a hypothesis that agricultural clusters stipulate the increase of food security in developing countries. This research is devoted to the verification of this hypothesis. 2. Materials and Methods The idea of cluster approach became especially popular in the recent decade, though the foreign founders of the theory of clustering have been developing this sphere for quite some time, for the purpose of creation of mechanisms of industrial policy, aimed at provision of economic growth, competitiveness of enterprises and their production (services). The issues of cluster associations are reflected in the works of such famous researchers as Garthwaite, K.A., P.J. Collins and C.Bambra, He, J., Jacknowitz, A., T. Morrissey and A. Brannegan, Maitra, C. and D.S.P.Rao. The statistics of The Global Food Security Index for 2014 in developed and developing countries is shown in Table 1. As is seen from Table 1, the problem of food security is especially urgent in developing countries, which necessitates the search for effective tools for increasing the food security, one of which is creation of agricultural clusters. For determining the role of agricultural clusters in provision of economic security of modern countries and regions, the following methods are used: methods of comparative and problem analysis, synthesis, induction, deduction, and analysis of statistical information. At present, there is no single approach or method of evaluation of the level of food security. In one case, the provision of food security is viewed as sustainable development of agro-industrial complex, in the other--as a level of self-provision of population by food products (Chirkina and Ioda, 2012). In the international statistics, food security is measured by the level of calorific capacity of daily ration of the population. However, this indicator, as the other average statistical indicators, has some drawbacks. Firstly, each nation has its preferences in consumption of food products. Secondly, in order to understand the level of food security, it is important to take into account the differentiation of population as to the level of income per capita--as with allowable limits of average values, there can be a situation when significant layers of population will experience the lack of food (Chirkina, 2013). …