OICC Press Journal of Rangeland Science 2423-642X 15 4 2025 08 20 The role of agricultural systems and rangeland ecosystem services in the food security and nutrition of smallholder farmer households: A small-scale analysis from the west of Iran 10.57647/j.jrs.2025.1504.32 EN Saeed Mahmoudi Department of Agroecology, Environmental Sciences Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran Hossein Mahmoudi Department of Agroecology, Environmental Sciences Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran Abdolmajid Mahdavi Damghani Department of Agroecology, Environmental Sciences Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran Jafar Kambouzia Department of Agroecology, Environmental Sciences Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran Journal Article 2025 08 20 Agriculture and rangeland are the basis of livelihood of Smallholder Farmer Households (SFHs) in Sarpol-Zahab county, west of Iran. In this area, three distinct Agricultural Systems (ASs) based on agricultural and pasture ecosystem services have been formed over time including a) AS of guaranteed agri-products that are purchased by the government, b) AS of commercial agri-products that are limited to agro-ecosystem services and c) AS of agri-pasture products that are characterized by a diverse range of agricultural and pasture ecosystem services. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the consequences of Food Security and Nutrition (FSN) of these ASs for SFHs and compare them. Collecting the required information using the USDA household food security questionnaire, the structured questionnaire for ASs, interviews and field surveys lasted from October to December 2023. The results showed a relatively high prevalence of food insecurity (57.3%) among SFHs. Food insecurity was negatively correlated with farmland size (r=-0.17, p<0.05), household income (r=-0.73, p<0.01), AS of commercial agri-products (r=-0.46, p<0.01), AS of agri-pasture products (r=-0.21, p<0.05), while, there was a weak and positive correlation between food insecurity and AS of guaranteed agri-products that was purchased by the government (r=0.15, p>0.05). The results of the relative risk test also confirm the occurrence of household food insecurity for the conditions of the absence of the AS of commercial agri-products, the absence of the AS of agri-pasture products, and the presence of the AS of guaranteed agri-products. The proper income and crop diversity, part of which is consumed in the households' food basket, will improve the food security status of the SFHs by the AS of agri-pasture products.