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The purpose of this paper is to show how institutional conditions affect food security at the national level.

A qualitative research with the usage of the methods of institutional, evolutionary, comparative and retrospective analysis is performed in this paper. During the study, emphasis was placed on the theory of sustainable development, the theory of economic security, the theory of economic systems and the theory of competitive advantages.

Food security policies can be based on the use of the liberal or conservative paradigm. The liberal paradigm focuses on food supply. The conservative paradigm also considers food independence. The growth of global instability has led to increased use of the conservative paradigm. Within the framework of these paradigms, four alternative models of food security have been proposed: “Pure” market, procurement, distribution, directive. For their selection, the matrix method was used. The combination of market and nonmarket management methods in the production and distribution of food is considered. Each of the models is given a meaningful interpretation, and their strengths and weaknesses are identified, the conditions of applicability and efficiency factors are indicated.

The failure of the authorities to provide the population with access to food is largely determined by institutional factors. The system of national institutions sets limits for food security. The main limitations are: technological, land, labor, infrastructure, cluster, ecological. To overcome them, it is recommended to use the tools of innovative, scientific, technological, migration, financial, investment, cluster, sustainable development and other types of state policies. Institutional shocks that lead to crises have a significant impact on food security. The study, using the example of Russia, shows that effective institutional overcoming of them is possible using the conservative paradigm.