Legal Basis of Government Intervention in Regulating the Food Market in Crisis Situations

Background and Objective: Food security is a fundamental human right and one of the main components of sustainable development. In the Iranian legal system, despite the emphasis of the Constitution on meeting the basic needs of citizens, there are no specific and integrated legal mechanisms for government intervention in regulating the food market, especially in crisis situations such as sanctions, drought, or epidemics. The purpose of this study is to examine the legal foundations of government intervention in the food market in crisis situations and analyze the strengths and weaknesses of these interventions within the framework of existing laws. Methods: This study was conducted in a descriptive-analytical manner using library resources. Domestic legal documents, including the Constitution, ordinary laws, statutory regulations, and approvals of executive bodies, were examined, and the content analysis method was used to assess the legal role of the government in regulating the food market. Findings: The results of the study show that the existing laws, although they have given the government the authority to intervene in the food market in some cases, lack coherence, predictability, and a clear legal framework. In practice, institutions such as the Ministry of Agricultural Jihad, the Ministry of Semat, and the Market Regulation Headquarters use tools such as pricing, emergency imports, and quota distribution, but due to the lack of coherent legal support and long-term policymaking, these measures face challenges such as producer dissatisfaction, discrimination in distribution, and administrative corruption. Conclusion: To strengthen the role of the government in ensuring food security, especially in crisis situations, it is necessary to develop a clear legal framework with an emphasis on food justice, supply sustainability, and respect for the rights of consumers and producers. It is suggested that the development of a comprehensive law centered on the 'right to food' and the provision of legal mechanisms.

کلیدواژه ها:

Food security ، Government intervention ، Crisis situations ، Legal framework ، Food market regulation