RURAL BANGLADESH - PreventionWeb

Socioeconomic Profile Findings
Table 52: Mean Number of Food Groups Acquired in a Week
Mean Number of Food Groups Acquired in a Week
Number of food groups acquired in a week
WFP priority zone
CHT
Coastal
Drought
N/W
Char
Haor
Total
Mean Std. Deviation
9.48 2.182
8.71 2.459
9.14 2.222
9.81 2.291
8.62 2.083
9.21 2.172
9.17 2.248
87
Mean Number of Food Groups
Acquired in a Week
Number of food groups acquired in a week
HH socio economic
status
Non vulnerable
2
3
Most vulnerable
Total
Mean
Std.
Deviation
12.19 1.378
9.96 1.558
7.93 1.388
6.90 1.334
9.17 2.248
With the exception of non-vulnerable households, most households tend to purchase most of
their food items. However, more than three-quarters (78 percent) of non-vulnerable
households produce their staples. In contrast, the invisible poor, few of whom control the
agricultural production process, are compelled to purchase staples (94 percent). One-third of
the households across socioeconomic categories produce leafy vegetables, although more
than 11 percent of the invisible poor obtain their leafy vegetables from friends, relatives and
neighbours for free. Forty-four percent of non-vulnerable households produce fruits; this is
the case for only 18 percent of the invisible poor, one-fifth of whom obtain fruits from
relatives, friends and neighbours. More than half of non-vulnerable households produce
eggs, while a quarter of the invisible poor demand for eggs is met by their own production.
Similarly, more than 40 percent of non-vulnerable households consume milk from their own
source while only 13 percent of vulnerable households, who rarely own cows, depend on
their own production.
Meal Frequency: Another essential aspect of food security, meal frequency in rural
Bangladesh separates the invisible poor from other socioeconomic classes. Approximately
three-quarters of the invisible poor consume only two meals a day while virtually all nonvulnerable
and on-the-edge households and even 81 percent of vulnerable households
consume at least three meals. Not only are the diets of the invisible poor meagre, they are
also insufficient to attain household food security.
Figure 27: Meal Frequency by Socioeconomic Class
% of Households
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
Number of Meals Eaten Per day
Non Vulnerable On-the-edge Vulnerable Invisible Poor
Household Socioeconomic Class
One meal a day 2 meals a day 3 meals a day