Bangladesh Country Investment Plan - Feed the Future

exploring public-private partnerships under this programme. Careful attention must be paid to
take full advantage of the potential for synergies and collaboration. An enabling policy
environment will be needed here.
Programme 9: Institutional Development and Capacity Development for
More Effective Safety Nets
Expected Aggregate Output: Effectiveness and targeting of social safety net programmes are
improved through strengthened institutional capacities to design and implement them
Priorities from the Consultation Process/ Current Challenges: Bangladesh spends the equivalent
of about US$ 2.3 billion per year on social safety nets (SSN). This represents 2.4% of its GDP
and is almost entirely financed from budget sources, accounting for 15% of its total annual
revenue budget. SSNs are operated by 13 different ministries and some NGOs covering various
target groups. An important priority is to reduce mistargeting. Also, the multiplicity and lack of
coordination of programmes leads to inefficiencies and less than optimal use of resources and
needs to be addressed. Finally, the weak capacities, in particular at decentralized levels, should be
strengthened to improve the delivery of these programmes.
Proposed focus and priority interventions (Sub-outputs):
1. Strengthen institutional capacities to effectively operate social safety net programmes and
formulate a new integrated strategy for social safety net programmes to: (i) coordinate and
streamline them; (ii) enhance impact and targeting; (iii) improve governance. This would
require to review: (a) the size and nature of the actual transfer; (b) the appropriateness and
efficiency of the transfer modality - whether cash or food based transfers are more
appropriate; (c) how or if transfers can be adjusted to capture the effects of inflation; (d) the
skills and support (capacity) of the various ministries responsible fo r implementing the
programmes; (e) the capacity of NGO partners retained to assist with the implementation of
the programmes, (f) how the programmes are monitored, evaluated and reported. Capacities
should be strengthened to develop a multi-year strategy to improve the targeting performance
of SSNs, streamline and coordinate these safety net programmes. Attempts should also be
undertaken to improve synergies between safety net programmes (food or cash for work) with
productive infrastructure such as irrigation, rural transport and markets. This review and
strategic work could be undertaken in collaboration with international partners such as WFP,
DFID or others. Targeting effectiveness needs to be improved to ensure that the benefits of
the programmes reach the poorest and the food insecure, especially pregnant women and
children under 2 years of age.
2. Investment in employment and income generation of social safety nets (including in ADP).
Interventions should build on existing innovative SSNs in order to develop their scopes.
Additional Considerations/ Implementation: Interventions should involve partnerships with
NGOs who are heavily involved in safety nets. They also require strong collaboration between
various stakeholders involved. Interventions would also focus on other pertinent issues related to
SSNs, like scaling up of effective programmes, sustainability of programme benefits, and
monitoring and evaluation of programmes to ensure effective targeting. Cost effectiveness of
means-tested versus geographic targeting for different population segments or geographical
locations will be defined through research and simulation
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