The survey was commissioned for a Rapid Assessment on the Food Security and Nutrition Assessment of the Impacts of High Food Prices in Bangladesh to make recommendations to the WFP (World Food Programme), UNICEF, FAO, Government of Bangladesh and NGOs on the priority interventions most urgently needed in food security and nutrition sectors in Bangladesh. The survey was carried out involving a nationally representative sample of 11,500 households (hh) and a market survey of about 875 small and medium enterprises. 

 

The specific objectives of the survey included: 

 

Food security

 

• To understand food security dynamics and relative levels of food insecurity in Bangladesh population, particularly in terms of differences between urban and rural areas;
• To establish the magnitude of the food price increases and the future outlook in different areas of the country;

• To better understand the impact on markets’ response capacity, households’ (particularly the poor and vulnerable) purchasing power, food consumption and coping mechanisms; 
• To better understand the impact of high food prices on specific demographic and livelihood groups, with details on the socio-economic characteristics of these groups.

 

Nutritional status

 

• To determine the prevalence of global and severe acute malnutrition as well as underweight and stunting among children aged 6-59 months in each survey location;
• To determine the prevalence of low mid-upper arm circumference among women of reproductive age.

 

Infant and Young Child Feeding

 

• To gain a better understanding of infant and young child feeding practices including the average duration of breastfeeding for children aged 0-24 months. 

 

Infectious disease and mortality

 

• • To determine crude and under five mortality rates in the 6 months prior to the survey;

• To determine the prevalence of diarrhea, fever and acute respiratory infection among children aged 6-59 months in the last two weeks in each survey location;

 

Access to health services

• To estimate the proportion of children aged 9-59 months vaccinated for measles; 

• To estimate the proportion of children aged 6-59 months who have received vitamin A supplementation in the last 6 months at national and divisional levels;
• To estimate the proportion of postpartum mothers who have received vitamin A supplementation in the last the first six weeks after delivery at national and divisional levels.

 

Water and sanitation

• To estimate the coverage of latrines among households;

• To estimate access to safe water among households;

 

Trader/Enterprise Survey:

 

Five traders were selected randomly including 2 wholesalers and 3 retailers/shop keepers from a cluster/PSU. If there was no wholesaler in the market, 5 retailers/shop keepers were selected. If there were less than 5 retailers/shop keepers, all the traders we found were interviewed. If there were lots of traders of different types (e.g. cereal traders, vegetable/fruits traders, meat/poultry traders…) in the market, at least 2 cereals traders were interviewed.

 

The specific tasks carried out by Mirta and Associates are included: 

 

• Designing of the survey methodology and the sampling framework and reviewing of the survey instruments (questionnaires, population figures etc.);
• Preparing of the protocols and guidelines in coordination and consulting with the Technical Committee;
• Translating of the questionnaires and survey forms into Bangla (and back-translating), a copy of which was reviewed by the technical committee and adjustments made as necessary; 
• Pretesting and finalizing of the questionnaires and piloting of the survey;
• Recruiting and training of the field personnel;
• Conducting of training workshop to ensure that everyone involved in data collection understands the objectives of the survey, the sampling strategy, roles and responsibilities regarding data collection, and necessary methods. 
• Providing logistical support for training, pilot testing and field work  and coordinating the preparation of all field related activities in consultation and collaboration with the Technical Committee

• Designing data-entry format using appropriate software and training data-entry operators and supervising data entry/cleaning and ensuring quality control of the data collection as well as supporting of data entry and data-cleaning. 

 

Under the supervision of IPHN (Institute of Public Health and Nutrition), Govt. of Bangladesh and FAO, the survey was awarded jointly by the World Food Program (WFP) and UNICEF.  Contact information: Ms. Nusha Yamina Choudhury, Head, Vulnerability Analysis and Mapping (VAM) Unit, The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) Bangladesh Country Office, Tel: 880-2-8116344-48, Ext. 2141, Cell: 88-01714044017 Vsat: 13522141