According to a recent World Food Programme (WFP) report, an alarming three out of 10 households in Bangladesh could not afford a sufficient diet in September, underscoring the instability in food security following recent nationwide flooding.
The WFP’s Food Security and Livelihoods Monitoring report reveals that 20% of the population faces food insecurity, with regional disparities ranging from 17% in Dhaka to a peak of 24% in Sylhet and Barisal.
The crisis disproportionately affects low-income families, with 36% of lower-earning households experiencing food insecurity, making them the hardest hit.
Key factors driving this insecurity include the rising cost of food, with 54% of households citing significant price hikes and 59% reporting increased overall expenditure.
On the other hand, 37% of households experienced a drop in income, leaving them struggling to meet basic needs.
As a result, many families are resorting to coping strategies to manage the crisis.
Around 29% of those surveyed are relying on food-based coping mechanisms, such as reducing portion sizes, opting for cheaper food, or cutting down the number of meals per day.
In addition, a significant 71% of households are turning to livelihood-based coping strategies, such as purchasing food on credit (42%), cutting health expenses (26%), dipping into savings (17%), or seeking external assistance (15%).
While the data paints a grim picture, there has been some improvement.
The September food insecurity rate of 20% marks a small step forward from August’s 22%, indicating a slow but positive shift in food security levels.
The report is based on a survey of 1,200 households across eight districts in Bangladesh, conducted by telephone, though it acknowledges a data precision margin of ±8%.
Despite small improvements, Bangladesh still faces significant hurdles in achieving food security for all.