The Importance of Nutrition Education in Achieving Food Security and Adequate Nutrition of the Poor: Experimental Evidence from Bangladesh*

Nutrition-sensitive social protection that enhances household resources and nutrition knowledge can be an important avenue of addressing food security and nutrition concerns of the poor. This paper studies the impact of a cluster randomized intervention of cash or food transfers, with-or-without nutrition behavioural change communication (BCC), on food security and nutrition outcomes in rural Bangladesh. We find that the addition of the BCC to transfers led to the greatest impact on the quantity and quality of food consumed by household members, especially women and children. The addition of BCC also had the greatest impact in reducing the incidence and intensity of deprivations measured using a nutrition-sensitive multidimensional poverty index. Evidence suggests this occurs through the BCC inducing increased consumption of flesh food, egg, dairy, fruits and vegetables and through investments in housing, sanitation and assets.

Automated summary

Nutrition-sensitive social protection programs that enhance household resources and nutrition knowledge play an important role in addressing food security and nutrition issues among the poor. A study in rural Bangladesh found that combining nutrition behavioral change communication (BCC) with cash or food transfers had the greatest impact on the quality and quantity of food consumed by household members, particularly women and children. Additionally, this combination had the greatest impact in reducing the incidence and intensity of poverty measured using a nutrition-sensitive multidimensional poverty index, by promoting increased consumption of nutritious foods and investments in housing, sanitation, and assets.