Enhancing food security assessment in border regions: An integrated index and evidence from the Turkistan region of the Republic of Kazakhstan

Abstract

Food security in border regions depends not only on agricultural production but also on economic, demographic, infrastructural, and investment conditions that shape regional resilience. Existing international frameworks, including the Global Food Security Index (GFSI) and the FAO Resilience Index Measurement and Analysis (RIMA), are not specifically designed for regional assessment in border areas. This study develops and applies the Border Food Security Index (BFSI), using the Turkistan Region of the Republic of Kazakhstan as a case study. The index integrates twenty-five official statistical indicators across five dimensions: Production Resilience, Food Affordability, Demographic Sustainability, Infrastructure and Logistics Capacity, and Investment Resilience. The indicators were normalized using the Min–Max method, aggregated into component indices, and combined through weighted aggregation using official statistics for 2024–2026. The resulting BFSI value is 0.874, indicating a very high level of food security. Production Resilience (0.92) and Infrastructure and Logistics Capacity (0.94) record the highest scores, reflecting the region’s strong agricultural base and infrastructure. Food Affordability (0.76) records the lowest score, indicating that household purchasing power and inflation remain the main constraints. The BFSI offers a transparent and reproducible framework for regional monitoring, comparative analysis, and evidence-based policy and can be adapted to other border regions with similar socioeconomic characteristics.