Food insecurity: Rethinking resilience in Bangladesh

One of the fondest memories of visiting my aunt’s house in the village during early childhood is the delicious food cooked on a clay stove. As a child, I didn’t quite understand why the food at my aunt’s house was so heavenly. 

 

 

Over time, I realized it was not just the magic of her cooking but also the freshness of the ingredients;  vegetables freshly picked from the garden, green chilies plucked straight from the plant, fish caught from the backyard pond, and the distinct flavor of free-range chickens roaming in the yard. 

 

 

Back then, almost every household in the village had its own supply of daily food. Cows and goats were kept in barns, yards teemed with ducks and chickens, beans and gourds climbed over rooftops, and an abundance of vegetables -- eggplants, okra, cabbage -- grew around the house. 

 

 

If guests arrived unexpectedly, there was no rush to the market. Eggs were collected from the coop, vegetables were picked fresh, and meals were prepared on the spot. Weekly markets existed, but daily shopping was rare since nearby stores were hard to find. Families relied on their own produce, which not only ensured fresh food but also saved money.

 

 

Gradually, the market system expanded. Today, no one needs to collect eggs from the backyard; they are readily available at local stores, supplied by commercial poultry farms. Bread, snacks, and biscuits have replaced the rich variety of homemade traditional pitha. 

 

 

Similarly, most essentials like vegetables, fish, and chicken now come from the local bazaar, rather than being grown in backyard gardens or kitchen farms. This shift in food habits reflects a broader transformation in our food security landscape.

 

 

These seemingly small aspects are deeply connected to the country’s food security. If households with the means -- particularly in rural areas -- could produce even a portion of their own food and nutrition, it would be a simple yet impactful step toward addressing this complex economic challenge. 

However, food security cannot be resolved overnight. To achieve a lasting solution, we must first understand its root causes and take a holistic approach.

 

 

The growing food security challenge

A recent Dhaka Tribune report titled “Seven million more slip into food insecurity” , based on an FAO study, paints a stark picture of Bangladesh’s food security situation. The report reveals that 23.6 million people now live in acute food insecurity, a sharp rise from 16.5 million just three months earlier. 

 

 

High food inflation, declining foreign currency reserves, and a depreciating Taka have worsened the crisis, while natural disasters like Cyclone Remal and recurrent flooding have further strained resources. Addressing these challenges requires urgent and innovative interventions to safeguard the nation’s food security.

 

 

Understanding the crisis

Food insecurity in Bangladesh arises from both structural and immediate factors. Despite above-average cereal harvests, persistent inflation -- 12.7% in October 2024 -- eroded the purchasing power of vulnerable households. Limited imports of staple cereals like wheat and maize, due to reduced foreign exchange reserves, further strain food supply chains. Meanwhile, Cyclone Remal has left millions affected, damaging agricultural infrastructure and disrupting livelihoods.

 

 

According to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), from October to December 2024, over a quarter of the population analyzed (26%), representing 23.3 million Bangladeshis and 300,000 Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Nationals (FDMN), are projected to experience high levels of acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above). Over 1.6 million people are in IPC Phase 4 (Emergency), mostly in Chittagong, Rangpur, Khulna, and Sylhet divisions. Compared to the IPC report from April 2024, food security has significantly deteriorated, with 33 of 40 assessed areas now classified as IPC Phase 3.

 

 

 

Since May 2024, Bangladesh has faced multiple climate-related disasters: Cyclone Remal in May, flash floods in the haor region in June, riverine floods in the Jamuna Basin in July, and severe flooding in the eastern regions in August. The recent Chittagong floods coincided with political transitions in the country, adding another layer of complexity to the crisis.

 

 

Bangladesh’s reliance on food imports further complicates the problem. The FAO projects that the country will need to import 8.3 million tons of cereals -- rice, wheat, and maize -- to compensate for domestic shortfalls. However, constrained import capacity due to low reserves and a weak currency makes this a daunting task. These overlapping crises underscore the urgency of a holistic approach to food security.

Solving the food security crisis requires an integrated approach that combines immediate relief with long-term strategies. Key areas of focus include:

 

 

1. Strengthening agricultural resilience

Climate-resilient agriculture is crucial to ensuring stable food production. Promoting salt-tolerant and drought-resistant crop varieties can mitigate the effects of flooding and salinity intrusion. Equipping farmers with modern irrigation systems, better storage facilities, and weather forecasting tools can further enhance resilience. Additionally, adopting sustainable farming practices such as crop rotation, intercropping, and organic farming can improve soil health and yield stability. Government and non-governmental organizations must work together to disseminate knowledge about these practices to farming communities.

 

 

2. Expanding food assistance programs

Emergency food assistance must reach the most vulnerable, particularly those affected by climate disasters. Collaboration among government agencies, NGOs, and international organizations is essential for efficient food aid delivery. Scaling up school feeding programs can provide children with nutrition while easing financial burdens on families. Technology can play a key role in aid distribution. Digital platforms can help track beneficiaries, streamline aid allocation, and ensure transparency. Mobile-based cash transfer programs can empower households to purchase essential food items directly from local markets, preserving dignity while stimulating local economies.

 

 

3. Supporting smallholder farmers

Smallholder farmers, the backbone of Bangladesh’s agricultural sector, need better access to resources. Providing low-interest loans, subsidies for seeds and fertilizers, and mechanized tools can improve productivity. Strengthening market linkages ensures fair prices and income stability. Moreover, cooperative farming models can empower smallholders by pooling resources, enabling access to larger markets, and fostering knowledge sharing. Strengthening rural cooperatives can drive sustainable agricultural development.

 

 

4. Empowering women and the youth

Women and youth are disproportionately affected by food insecurity and must be central to targeted interventions. Skill development programs tailored to them can create employment opportunities and diversify household income sources. Encouraging women’s participation in agriculture through access to farming tools and training can enhance productivity and nutrition. Engaging youth in modern agricultural practices and entrepreneurship can address rural unemployment while strengthening food security.

 

 

5. Policy and financial support

The government must take pro-active measures, including strengthening national food reserves and revisiting trade policies to ensure timely imports of staple foods. Bangladesh’s agricultural growth -- 3.2% in 2022/23 compared to 2.6% in 2021/22 -- is encouraging, but population pressure (169.83 million people, 1,151 per square km) makes food security a persistent challenge. Collaboration with international organizations for financial assistance and technical expertise is essential. Institutions like the FAO and World Bank can support sustainable agricultural development programs. Incentivizing private sector investment in agro-processing and supply chain development can further strengthen food security.

 

 

6. Tackling climate change

Climate change exacerbates food insecurity by intensifying disasters and disrupting weather patterns. Bangladesh must invest in climate adaptation strategies, including afforestation, wetland conservation, and riverbank stabilization, to mitigate flooding and erosion. Investing in renewable energy for irrigation and mechanization can reduce dependence on fossil fuels and enhance sustainability. Research into climate-smart agriculture should be prioritized, ensuring accessibility for smallholder farmers.

 

 

A call for collaborative action

Bangladesh has shown resilience in overcoming past crises, but the scale of the current food security challenge demands greater collaboration and innovation. Government agencies, NGOs, the private sector, and local communities must work together to implement holistic solutions. With 23.6 million people facing acute food insecurity, the time to act is now. Together, we can ensure that no one in Bangladesh goes hungry.

Golam Kibria is a Writer, Development professional, and Media analyst.