Digya Shrestha and Jyoti Pokharel, Dhaka Community Managers
Despite benefitting from an impressive increase in its domestic food grain production, Bangladesh has yet to achieve comprehensive food security. One out of every four households in Bangladesh suffers from food insecurity, and the poorest struggle to find enough safe and healthy food to sustain themselves. Increases in domestic food production, food imports, and the management of food all contribute to the availability of food at the national level. However, the availability of food does not eliminate all food insecurity: the purchasing power of the poor and the high price of food also limit access to food.
The Association for Socio-Economic Advancement in Bangladesh (ASEAB) was established in 1993 and works for the development and empowerment of marginalized communities. One of its programs, “Slum and Urban Development Program,” focuses on nutrition and food security for slum dwellers, by helping them increase their income enough to afford basic nutrition. Since 2001, ASEAB has been providing services to 150 families living in Dhaka’s slums. The services include microcredit support, along with income-generating trainings like tailoring, block-boutique, and candle making. This services provide the urban poor with skills and opportunities to increase their income and to therefore sustain their basic demands for food.
Despite ASEAB’s contribution to improving food security in Dhaka, this program alone is not sufficient to bring comprehensive food security. The government should also play a role— for instance, by regulating food prices and by maintaining the purchasing power of poor. Another way to prevent rising prices would be to increase the government’s food stock in the market so that if a shortage occurs, the government can deliver food to the market. This solution would also prevent the hike of food prices following a shortage of supply.