Nourished Nations: Investigating the Dynamics of Food Security, Energy Efficiency and Trade Openness in Emerging Economies

Food insecurity remains a critical global challenge, disproportionately affecting emerging economies due to persistent undernourishment, population growth, and resource constraints. Motivated by rising global hunger due to both traditional pressures and newer challenges like energy utilization, this study explores the combined effects of economic, agricultural, and demographic factors on food insecurity. Using panel data from 10 emerging economies (Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, South Africa, South Korea, Russia, Thailand, and Vietnam) over the period 2000–2022, this research examines food insecurity through factors such as agricultural land area, cereal production, population growth, GDP growth, and trade openness. This study also introduces energy intensity into the analysis, offering a novel combination of factors and addressing a significant gap in the discourse on food security. We employ Fixed Effects, System Generalized Method of Moments (Sys-GMM), and Difference Generalized Method of Moments (Diff-GMM) estimation methods to address endogeneity and country heterogeneity. Empirical findings indicate that higher energy intensity and high population growth exacerbate food insecurity, while increased agricultural land use and increased cereal production significantly alleviate undernourishment. These findings illustrate the importance of focused policies on energy efficiency, agricultural productivity, and trade integration to achieve sustainable improvements in food security.