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Seasonal food insecurity in Bangladesh: evidences from northern areas

Author

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  • Mazbahul Ahamad
  • Rezai Khondker
  • Zahir Ahmed
  • Fahian Tanin

Abstract

Seasonal food insecurity in Bangladesh is a multidimensional socioeconomic issue emanated from more than just access and availability of food. In general, it has been considered that the northern areas of Bangladesh, treated as monga-prone, is more vulnerable to seasonal food insecurity as compared to any other region of the country. The manifestation of monga is essentially food insecurity and consequent vulnerabilities. The paper investigates the seasonal food insecurity status, coping strategies along with its possible determinants linked to socioeconomic conditions of the affected households in Kurigram, one of the monga-prone districts of northern Bangladesh. A primary survey was conducted to explore the food insecurity status and diverse factors leading to food insecurity in terms of food consumption, livelihood and consequent family experiences in mitigating the severity of food insecurity during the monga (lean) period. The nature of household food insecurity seems to be an outcome of a variety of risk factors, as well as inability to manage those risks due to income and resource constraints. Moreover, a reduction in food intake during the monga period is one of the common scenarios in the study area. Marginal effects and elasticities after probit regression reveal that household’s income, share of per capita medical expenditure, safety net(s) involvement and the area of residence appear to be the leading factors affecting seasonal food insecurity during the monga period to a significant extent. Households with more medical expenditure (68 %), cultivable landholding (9 %) and households residing by the riverside (4 %) have a higher probability of food insecurity than their counterparts. On the contrary, relatively large size family (-16 %), higher income (-4 %) and safety net coverage (-19 %) have reduced the probability of food insecurity during the monga period. Finally, the paper concludes with some policy issues based on on-site observation and econometric analysis to overcome this transitory food insecurity in the monga-prone areas. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2013

Suggested Citation

  • Mazbahul Ahamad & Rezai Khondker & Zahir Ahmed & Fahian Tanin, 2013. "Seasonal food insecurity in Bangladesh: evidences from northern areas," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 18(7), pages 1077-1088, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:masfgc:v:18:y:2013:i:7:p:1077-1088
    DOI: 10.1007/s11027-012-9408-0
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Xiao-jun Wang & Jian-yun Zhang & Shamsuddin Shahid & En-hong Guan & Yong-xiang Wu & Juan Gao & Rui-min He, 2016. "Adaptation to climate change impacts on water demand," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 21(1), pages 81-99, January.
    3. Sikha Karki & Paul Burton & Brendan Mackey & Clair Alston-Knox, 2021. "Status and drivers of food insecurity and adaptation responses under a changing climate among smallholder farmers households in Bagmati Province, Nepal," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(10), pages 14642-14665, October.
    4. Sudeshna Paul & Athula Naranpanawa & Jay Bandaralage & Tapan Sarker, 2018. "Climate change, crop productivity and regional growth disparity in Bangladesh: What does a district-level regional CGE model tell us?," Discussion Papers in Economics economics:201803, Griffith University, Department of Accounting, Finance and Economics.

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