Impact of an Asset Transfer Program for Income Generation and Food Security Among Ultra-Poor Households in Rural Bangladesh

Abstract Objectives An economic development (ED) program, designed based on an ultra-poor graduation approach, was implemented to alleviate poverty and improve food security in rural Bangladesh through asset transfer. This study aims to compare income generation, consumption, and seasonal trends in asset management among ultra-poor households receiving different small assets. Methods A total of 2960 poor or ultra-poor households received (1) 9–26 ducks (n = 2125), (2) 11 chickens (n = 872), and/or (3) vegetable seeds with garden training (n = 2407), depending on living environment. Indicators related to production of assets, income generation, and consumption of assets were collected quarterly over the course of Jan-Dec 2019. Changes in the amount of assets, income generated from assets and asset byproducts, and consumption of assets and asset byproducts were compared across time and asset group type. Results Significant seasonal trends in the amount of production and income were found among all three asset groups over one year (all p < 0.001). The vegetable and duck groups reported their highest mean incomes at the Jan-Mar follow-up, and the chicken group reported its highest mean income at the July-Sept follow-up. A higher proportion of chicken households maintained their baseline asset provisions at one-year than duck households (29.2% vs. 18.2%, p < 0.001). The duck group reported higher average monthly income than the chicken group (811 TK vs. 480 TK; p < 0.001). The duck group consumed a greater number of eggs per month than the chicken group (55 eggs vs. 27 eggs; p < 0.001), while the chicken group consumed a greater number of poultry per month than the duck group (1.65 chickens vs. 0.95 ducks; p < 0.001). Conclusions Duck assets are better short-term income sources for the poor and ultra-poor than chicken assets in rural Bangladesh. Our findings in asset management, income generation, and consumption provide evidence of the impact of the graduation approach on ultra-poor household economies and should be considered in future scale-up of the ED program. Funding Sources World Vision Bangladesh, World Vision Korea, KOICA.

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Perceived Impact of COVID-19 on the Dietary Behaviors and Food Security of People in Rural Bangladesh

Current Developments in Nutrition ◽

10.1093/cdn/nzab029_031 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (Supplement_2) ◽

pp. 230-230

Author(s):

Heeyeon Kim ◽

Yunhee Kang

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Information Dissemination ◽

Daily Routine ◽

Food Acquisition ◽

Rural Bangladesh ◽

Hygiene Practices ◽

World Vision ◽

Poor Women ◽

Perceived Impact ◽

The Impact

Abstract Objectives This study aims to examine how poor women perceived the impact of COVID-19 in their lives regarding daily routines, food acquisition and consumption, hygiene practices and access to health services in rural Bangladesh. Methods Questions about the perceived impact of COVID-19 were included as part of an evaluation survey of a community-based nutrition program, and assessed cross-sectionally in November-December 2020 among a total of 2960 poor or ultra-poor women. Results 84–87% of respondents perceived COVID-19 has affected their daily routine in the activities related to diet, work/school, income, social activities and to lesser extent, 78.8% in entertainment activities and 67.9% in health activity. For the current food acquisition and consumption compared to pre-COVID-19 situation, 77.3% reported less grocery shopping, 74.2% decreased activities of eating with someone else, 39.6% reduced consumption of fresh foods, and 23.4% decreased consumption of stable foods. Also, 92.3% of respondents experienced restriction to market access for food acquisition. In light of this, 74.4% of respondents found food assistance to be helpful coping with a negative impact of COVID-19, the highest among other assistances (below 10%). Only 25.7% of respondents reported wearing facial masks whenever out and 67.9% did not perceive any change of their health and hygiene practices after COVID-19. 58.7% of respondents responded that public health messages were helpful to cope with the current pandemic. Conclusions While COVID-19 has hit every area of routine and lives, food-related activities and assistance were perceived to be affected the hardest compared to other daily activities in rural Bangladesh. People fear about infections through gathering, not wearing masks, and going out, however, disease prevention practices does not follow as much as they fear. This study suggest that the food security intervention deserves urgent attention as well as educational information dissemination on the prevention and protection measures of COVID-19. Funding Sources World Vision Bangladesh, World Vision Korea, KOICA

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Household food security and infant feeding practices in rural Bangladesh

Public Health Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s1368980015003195 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 19 (10) ◽

pp. 1875-1881 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Aatekah Owais ◽

David G Kleinbaum ◽

Parminder S Suchdev ◽

ASG Faruque ◽

Sumon K Das ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Infant Feeding ◽

Complementary Feeding ◽

Feeding Practices ◽

Household Food Security ◽

Infant Feeding Practices ◽

Rural Bangladesh ◽

Infant Diet ◽

Household Food

AbstractObjectiveTo determine the association between household food security and infant complementary feeding practices in rural Bangladesh.DesignProspective, cohort study using structured home interviews during pregnancy and 3 and 9 months after delivery. We used two indicators of household food security at 3-months’ follow-up: maternal Food Composition Score (FCS), calculated via the World Food Programme method, and an HHFS index created from an eleven-item food security questionnaire. Infant feeding practices were characterized using WHO definitions.SettingTwo rural sub-districts of Kishoreganj, Bangladesh.SubjectsMother–child dyads (n 2073) who completed the 9-months’ follow-up.ResultsComplementary feeding was initiated at age ≤4 months for 7 %, at 5–6 months for 49 % and at ≥7 months for 44 % of infants. Based on 24 h dietary recall, 98 % of infants were still breast-feeding at age 9 months, and 16 % received ≥4 food groups and ≥4 meals (minimally acceptable diet) in addition to breast milk. Mothers’ diet was more diverse than infants’. The odds of receiving a minimally acceptable diet for infants living in most food-secure households were three times those for infants living in least food-secure households (adjusted OR=3·0; 95 % CI 2·1, 4·3). Socio-economic status, maternal age, literacy, parity and infant sex were not associated with infant diet.ConclusionsHHFS and maternal FCS were significant predictors of subsequent infant feeding practices. Nevertheless, even the more food-secure households had poor infant diet. Interventions aimed at improving infant nutritional status need to focus on both complementary food provision and education.

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Utilization of an Economic Development Program in the Context of a Community-Based Nutrition Program in Rural Bangladesh - A Qualitative Study

Current Developments in Nutrition ◽

10.1093/cdn/nzaa053_043 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_2) ◽

pp. 838-838

Author(s):

Seungheon Han ◽

Heeyeon Kim ◽

Yoonho Cho ◽

Md Mezanur Rahman ◽

Yunhee Kang

Keyword(s):

Economic Development ◽

Asset Management ◽

Child Nutrition ◽

Health Knowledge ◽

Health Benefit ◽

Development Program ◽

Program Participation ◽

Rural Bangladesh ◽

World Vision ◽

And Performance

Abstract Objectives To promote appropriate complementary feeding and improve child nutrition, an economic development (ED) program with income-generating asset transfer was added to the context of a Positive Deviant (PD)/Hearth program that took a behavior change communication approach in rural Bangladesh. Our study examined main elements influencing the program uptake and utilization in four thematic areas: motivation, facilitator, barrier, and performance, comparing the participants who received either PD program only or both PD/ED programs. Methods In-depth interviews (IDI) and focus group discussions (FGD) were conducted for four groups selected by purposive sampling: PD participants (n = 8 for FGD; n = 11 for IDI), husbands of PD participants (n = 9; n = 9), PD/ED participants (n = 8; n = 9), and husbands of PD/ED participants (n = 8; n = 9), in which none of the interviewees were in family relations. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim in Bangla, and re-translated into English. The data was analyzed using a Grounded Theory based approach. Results Both PD and PD/ED groups said child's health benefit being a main motivation of program participation. The PD/ED group was also motivated by the expectation for the financial benefit from the ED program. The main facilitators to continue the program lessons were physical and/or emotional support from her family in both groups, while the PD/ED group also said the assets from the ED program helped feeding their child nutritional foods. The main barriers perceived in the PD group were housework duty, while the PD/ED group mentioned environmental challenges (i.e., flooding) threatening their asset management. Key performance of both groups was an improvement in caregivers’ health knowledge and child nutrition. In the PD/ED group, the distinctive performance was the utilization of assets to practice PD recommendations and the self-esteem of the participants and their family members. Conclusions This study found discrepancies between PD and PD/ED groups in the facilitators, barriers, and performance for program participation and maintenance of the recommended practices. Reviewing these factors will help to understand the paths of program impact. Funding Sources World Vision Bangladesh, World Vision Korea & Korea International Cooperation Agency.

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