Design of an Empirical Agent-Based Model to Explore Rural Household Food Security Within a Developing Country Context

Food security is an unresolved issue, especially so among developing countries. Models of food security usually focus on the farming components (availability) and neglect to fully incorporate its multi-dimensional nature: including access, utilization and stability (of food). This article proposes the design of an empirical agent-based model representing Malawian smallholders, which operationalizes the FAO framework on food security at the household level. While the general structure can be customized and replicated for other contexts, the agents’ characterization is based on national survey data. Preliminary results suggest that non-agricultural workers are more food secure. However important feedbacks with the natural (ecosystem services) and the economic system (local/international market) are foreseen but not fully implemented.

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