Business Desk :
A quarter of households in Bangladesh face moderate to severe food insecurity, according to a Report by Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) published on Monday.
Only about one-third of all households are food secure, with nearly half being marginally secure.
The report, based on the Food Security Assessment and FIES (Family Income and Expenditure) Survey 2023 by BBS, provides an in-depth analysis of food insecurity across Bangladesh.
The report says the Northern divisions – Rangpur, Mymensingh, Rajshahi, and Sylhet – report the highest levels of food insecurity, reflecting deep-rooted poverty and vulnerability to climate shocks like flooding.
Dhaka and Chattogram divisions show relatively better outcomes, although inequality remains a concern within these areas.
Overall urban-rural differences are modest, but city corporation areas perform better than the national average.
According to the survey results, only one-third (32.9per cent) of households nationwide are fully food secure.
Meanwhile, 44.57per cent of households are marginally food secure, meaning they could face food shortages if hit by minor economic or environmental shocks.
Most concerningly, 22.5per cent of households suffer from moderate to severe food insecurity, highlighting the vulnerability of a large segment of the population.
Households forced to spend a larger share of their income on food are the most vulnerable, underscoring the need for income growth and poverty reduction.
Even households just above the poverty line show considerable food insecurity, requiring special, targeted interventions.
BBS said, many households frequently resorted to negative coping mechanisms due to persistent vulnerabilities. Such mechanisms included, in worst case scenarios, theft, prostitution and begging, which a small percentage (0.5per cent -1.1per cent) of households adopted.
Others married their children off at an early age, Withdrew children from school or sold household assets.
Overall 38.3per cent of the surveyed households allocate less than 50per cent of their expenditure to food, while about another 34.5per cent allocate 50-65per cent and 17.0per cent allocate 65-75per cent.
However, households allocating 75per cent or more constitute 10.2per cent of the total sample.
About one-third of households in rural areas and a quarter in urban areas allocate at least 65per cent of their expenditure to food, indicating a significant portion of income dedicated to meeting basic nutritional needs.
Conversely, in city corporations, the corresponding percentage is 6.5per cent only, reflecting a slighter vulnerability in food expenditure.
