FOOD SECURITY: ESSENCE, EVOLUTION OF THE CONCEPT AND MODERN IMPERATIVES OF SECURITY

The article studies food security as a key direction of socio-economic development of the state in the face of global challenges. The evolution of the concept of "food security" and its interpretation in international and domestic scientific literature is revealed, taking into account different approaches and historical stages of formation. It is determined that food security is a complex multidimensional phenomenon that encompasses the availability, accessibility, use and stability of food in the context of physical, economic and social factors. It is established that food security is closely related to ensuring the basic needs of the population, the functioning of the agri-food system, income levels, the state of the environment, the development of innovations and the effectiveness of public administration. Based on the analysis of modern international documents and the practice of functioning of global institutions (FAO, CFS, GFSI), it is substantiated that it is a comprehensive approach to ensuring food security that is a determining factor of sustainable development. The work defines the structure of the concept of food security, its key dimensions and assessment criteria. The approaches to classifying countries by the level of food security are summarized and the problems that determine its low level in developing countries are revealed. It is established that food security is not only a condition of physical survival, but also a fundamental factor of national sovereignty and geopolitical stability. It is substantiated that the strategy for ensuring it should include the development of domestic production, support for state reserves, improvement of product quality, reduction of import dependence and adaptation to internal and external challenges. The need for intersectoral interaction, improvement of legislation and integration of international experience for the formation of an effective food security system in Ukraine is emphasized.