Nutrition Security for the Poor Ahmad Kaikaus, PhD Additional Secretary Power Division 01 November, 2014

Bangladeshi Poor in 1971

Bangladesh Now:

Poverty Reduction in the Past Decade  Bangladesh made a remarkable record in reducing poverty in the past decade  Poverty incidence dropped from 49 percent in 2000 to 32 percent in 2010  About 1.6 million people have escaped poverty every year since 2000  Poverty rate declined modestly between 1995 and 2000, from 51 percent to 49 percent

Households with Functioning Mobile Phone 7

Source: Haddad et al. 2002; in: Repositioning Nutrition, WB, % increase in GNP/PC: 3-5% ↓ underweight

If we were to Wait for Income Growth Alone to Achieve the Nutrition MDG:  India would likely achieve the MDG in 2067  (3% GDP/PC growth; income/underwt elasticity - 0.3)  Bangladesh would achieve the MDG in 2044  (6% GDP/PC growth; income/underwt elasticity - 0.3)  Tanzania would achieve it in 2105  (2.1% GDP/PC growth; income/underwt elasticity - 0.3) Source: Repositioning Nutrition, WB, 2006

Malnutrition in Bangladesh is much Higher than Expected, given its National Income IFPRI, Global Hunger Index, 2010

Family Welfare Indicator: Percent of people living on less than PPP $1.25/day

Food Energy (calorie) Deficient Households

Food Energy (calorie) Share of Rice 14

Trends in maternal and child undernutrition, Source: BDHS data ; Chart from HKI, Bangladesh

Anemia & stunting among children 6-23 months old, by per capita expenditure quintile AnemiaStunting Page 16 % *** * Source: Alive & Thrive Baseline Survey 2010 ; * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, *** p < Expenditure quintiles

Underlying factors matter for stunting: household food security and maternal education Food security Maternal education Page 17 % stunted A&T Bangladesh Baseline Survey, 2010

As Bangladesh moves towards a National Nutrition Services approach for nutrition, specific attention is needed to: Address the high levels of anemia among infants and young children through targeted interventions such as micronutrient powders, iron supplements and/or fortification Address stunting among children through a multi-pronged approach that addresses maternal and household factors in addition to direct nutrition-specific interventions Policy considerations 18

Health Nutrition Agriculture Income Employment Food security AGRICULTURE BENEFITS NUTRITION + HEALTH THROUGH: AGRICULTURE POSES RISKS: Productivity Physical strength Endurance Cognition Risk taking Water-related diseases Food-borne diseases Zoonotic diseases Dietary diversity Livelihoods AGRICULTURE – NUTRITION - HEALTH HEALTH & NUTRITION BENEFITS AGRICULTURE THROUGH: Gender equity Education

Social Behavior Change and Communications All components Enhancing Nutrition along the Value Chain Component 1 Prevention, Control of Ag- Associated Diseases Component 3 Biofortification Component 2 Integrated Programs and Policies Component 4 H ealth N utrition A griculture RESULT: A better nourished, healthier population, esp. mothers and children < 2 Risk of AAD Income and gender equity Labor productivity Conceptual Framework Availability, access, intake of nutritious, safe foods Knowledge of nutrition, food safety

Policy Implications  Agriculture alone will not improve nutrition fast enough  We have opportunities and examples of success on how to bridge the agriculture-nutrition divide  We have challenges  Our biggest challenge AND opportunity is to work together - cross-sectorally (how?)  We need to do much better at documenting successes – and failures; we need the evidence for advocacy, to stimulate investments  In Bangladesh we have a momentum, new initiatives, committed government and donors, experienced NGOs, strong research community and partners