Dynamics and Diversity of Food Self-Sufficiency in EU Countries in the Context of Food Security
Purpose: Food self-sufficiency defines a country's ability to satisfy domestic food needs through its own production. The aim of the study was to evaluate the dynamics and spatial-product diversity of food self-sufficiency in European Union countries and to determine the relationship between the level of self-sufficiency and food security. Design/Methodology/Approach: The study covered 19 European Union countries in the years 2013-2022. Based on FAOSTAT data, self-sufficiency ratios (SSR) were calculated for six product groups. The analysis was conducted in terms of time, spatial, and product dimensions using descriptive statistics, the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, and cluster analysis using Ward's method. Furthermore, an aggregate synthetic self-sufficiency ratio (ASSR) was constructed using the zero-unitarization method and weights determined by the CRITIC method. The relationship between ASSR and the level of food security was assessed based on Spearman's rank correlation with the Global Food Security Index (GFSI) and its four pillars. Findings: The results demonstrated significant diversity in self-sufficiency across countries and product groups. For five out of six products, cross-country diversity was greater in 2022 than in 2013, with no statistically significant changes in the average SSR level. Cluster analysis allowed for the identification of three groups of countries with distinct product self-sufficiency profiles, whose basic structure remained relatively stable. The ASSR ranking was characterized by high stability between the analysed years. No statistically significant relationship was found between ASSR and GFSI or its individual pillars, indicating that a higher level of production self-sufficiency does not necessarily correspond to a higher level of multidimensionally defined food security. Practical Implications: The conducted research can serve as a basis for formulating recommendations for decision-makers in the agri-food sector at both the EU and national levels, particularly regarding the shaping of strategic reserves and intervention mechanisms for product groups characterized by high variability in self-sufficiency levels. The relevance of these recommendations is particularly important in the context of experiences related to the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, as well as the ongoing debate on the future shape of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) post-2027. Originality/Value: The value of the study lies in the multidimensional assessment of food self-sufficiency in terms of time, spatial, and product terms, as well as the construction of an aggregate synthetic self-sufficiency ratio (ASSR) using objective weights determined via the CRITIC method. Combining ASSR with cluster analysis and comparing it against the Global Food Security Index (GFSI) and its pillars enabled the evaluation of both the differentiation in self-sufficiency profiles among EU states and the relationship between production self-sufficiency and multidimensional food security.