Overview In 2014 WFP launched Enhancing Food Security

and Nutrition (EFSN), a new multi-year

programme. As one of its two components,

Enhancing Food Security (EFS) addresses the

underlying drivers of food insecurity and

undernutrition by enabling some of the most

vulnerable inhabitants of Cox’s Bazar transform

their lives. It works in tandem with a child safety

net addressing acute undernutrition and

education.

Why EFS? Cox’s Bazar is one of the poorest and most

vulnerable districts in Bangladesh. Undernutrition

and food insecurity are at crisis levels, with

poverty well above the national average. The

area is also deeply conservative and, as a result,

women and girls face discrimination in many

forms from the very beginning of their lives.

Cyclones, landslides and other natural disasters

are also a common threat, making it extremely

challenging for poor families to build up assets

over time.

What does it do? EFS works with 9,600 women in Maheshkhali,

Teknaf and Ukhiya upazilas. The ultimate goal is

to enhance food security and nutrition among

participants and their households. The women

follow an intensive programme designed to equip

them with the skills, knowledge, confidence and

assets to change their lives. Each of them

receives the following package:

Monthly allowance of 1,050 taka for 21

months to cover essential household

consumption needs

Behaviour change communication (BCC)

to improve nutrition practices, facilitate

women’s empowerment and improve

community disaster management

Income-generation support including

entrepreneur-ship training, a business grant

and intensive skills training

Women’s groups that enable women to

support each other, enhance women’s voice

and provide a platform for savings

Jannat Ara Begum participated in a previous project cycle to improve the food security and nutrition situation of her family. WFP provided cash and specialised food – Jannat did the rest. Today her embroidery business provides a steady income.

AT A GLANCE

9,600 women participate in Ukhiya

(2,300), Teknaf (2,300) and Maheshkhali (5,000) upazilas

They receive a monthly allowance

of 1,050 taka over 21 months and a 15,000 taka investment grant

Including their families nearly 50,000

people benefit from EFS

Thanks to generous funding from the

Australian Government and the United Kingdom’s aid department, and through NGO cooperating partners SHED and RIC

ENHANCING FOOD SECURITY

IN COX’S BAZAR

EFS will make a strong contribution to women’s

empowerment, enhancing their voices and

confidence. The participants will contribute to the

household income, often for the first time, and

they will be equipped with the knowledge to

improve their nutritional intake.

How does EFS work? Working with the entire household

In local culture, men are considered first priority,

including with meals. Such beliefs are a major

driver of undernutrition and food insecurity. To

challenge them and change behaviours, EFS

engages with caregivers, husbands, mothers-in-

law and young daughters to support change.

Bottom-up participatory learning sessions

BCC sessions for participants and their families

will be participatory and designed according to

adult learning principles. Key messages will be

reinforced through subsequent presentation of

the concepts to participants of other WFP

programmes, in schools and nutrition centres,

and through monthly household visits by

community facilitators.

Building market linkages for sustainability

To ensure small businesses are sustained after

project closure, EFS will facilitate linkages with

existing market actors such as exporters and

associations. Where possible, the project will

work with these partners instead of directly

supplying inputs and support services.

Working with partners and change agents

EFS is implemented by local NGOs SHED and

RIC, who have a deep understanding of the area.

Local women work as Community Development

Organizers at the frontline of facilitating social

and behaviour change among the project

households. CDOs not only play an instrumental

role in organising project activities, but, as

female leaders, provide a role model to project

participants.

Providing a robust grievance mechanism

A grievance mechanism is essential for project

participants to have a voice and enable them to

provide feedback on the project.

WFP has established a hotline for receiving

grievances and is working to ensure all project

personnel and participants are aware of the

mechanism – and confident enough to use it. All

grievances are confidential and anonymous, and

are followed up as a priority.

EFS AND DISASTER RISK REDUCTION

For the life of the project, the monthly allowance

provides a guaranteed source of income to

increase household resilience and reduce the

need for negative coping strategies.

The income-generating activity will provide

households with an increasingly diverse source

of income, which will continue beyond the life of

the project.

Community-level disaster management is also

one of the modules for the BCC programme.

World Food Programme

Bangladesh