Food insecurity remains a persistent global challenge, despite significant advancements in agricultural production and technology. The main objective of this study is to identify and quantitatively assess some of the structural determinants influencing country-level food insecurity and provide an empirical background for policy-making aimed at achieving the Sustainable Development Goal of Zero Hunger (SDG 2). This study employs a beta regression model in order to study moderate or severe food insecurity across 153 countries, using a cross-sectional dataset that integrates economic, agricultural, political, and demographic independent variables. The analysis identifies low household per capita final consumption expenditure (β = −9 × 10⁻⁵, p < 0.001), high income inequality expressed as a high GINI coefficient (β = 0.047, p < 0.001), high long-term inflation (β = 0.0176, p = 0.003), and low economic globalization (β = −0.021, p = 0.001) as the most significant predictors of food insecurity. Agricultural variables such as land area (β = −1 × 10⁻⁵, p = 0.02) and productivity per hectare (β = −9 × 10⁻⁵, p = 0.09) showed limited but statistically significant inverse effects (lowering food insecurity), while factors like unemployment, political stability, and conflict were not significant in the model. The findings suggest that increased economic capacity, inequality reduction, inflation control, and global trade integration are critical pathways for reducing food insecurity. Future research could employ beta regression in time-series and panel analyses or spatial models like geographically weighted regression to capture geographic differences in food insecurity determinants.

The sustainable development of tourism can contribute to the diversification of local economies, job creation, and the valorization of natural and cultural heritage. The study analyses the perceived role of rural tourism in the sustainable development of mountain communities through an approach that involves multiple stakeholders and integrates the perspectives of tourists, economic operators, and local authorities. This manuscript aims to connect tourists’ experiences with the problems encountered in the economic activities of tourism operators and the involvement of local authorities in supporting the sustainable development of mountain communities through tourism in the Banatul Montan region. The analysis, conducted between 12 May and 1 July 2026, included three non-probability samples from the Banatul Montan region: 260 tourists, 64 economic operators, and 31 representatives of local authorities. The research is based on a cross-sectional, exploratory, associative, and multi-actor approach. The methodology consisted of developing and administering three distinct questionnaires addressed to tourists, economic operators, and representatives of local public authorities. The results obtained were analyzed using descriptive statistics, scale reliability assessment through Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, as well as correlation analyses and ordinal logistic regressions. The conclusions indicate that the results highlight a descriptive contrast between the perspectives of the three groups, without metric equivalence or a statistical demonstration of differences. The analysis keeps the experiential, operational, and institutional levels distinct and does not allow causal inferences. The study results may serve as a basis for informing sustainable development strategies for the region, aiming to improve residents’ quality of life and tourists’ satisfaction in the mountain area analyzed.