FAO, in collaboration with BRAC and with technical support from the Meeting the Undernutrition Challenge (MUCH) project, is conducting an ex-ante impact assessment of five selected sub-programmes of the Bangladesh Second Country Investment Plan on Nutrition-Sensitive Food Systems (CIP2). This cost benefit analysis (CBA) will help to identify the cost-effectiveness of the selected CIP2 sub-programmes in order to assess the potential impact on food security and nutrition of various types of interventions.

Four CBAs were presented in two earlier consultations with relevant stakeholders in May and August 2018. The fifth CBA, together with updates on the previous ones, were presented in the final consultation in Dhaka, Bangladesh on 27 September 2018. The consultation, which was chaired by Ms Kaosar Afsana, Director, Health, Nutrition and Population Programme (HNPP), BRAC, was aimed at receiving final feedback from the stakeholders in order to improve the clarity and robustness of the findings presented by researchers from BRAC and the University of Dhaka. The consultation gathered 50 representatives from Government, research and academic institutions as well as development partners.

Following the opening remarks, Mr Naoki Minamiguchi, Chief Technical Advisor, MUCH presented the CIP2 objectives and content, including its expected goals and selected sub-programmes, as well as the objectives of the CBA in the framework of the CIP2.

The five selected CIP2 nutrition-sensitive interventions are: 1. Home gardening, for production and consumption of micronutrient-rich foods; 2. Molla fish production and consumption; 3. Rice fortification distribution as part of social safety net intervention; 4. Balanced Food Plate intervention through Social Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC); 5. Life-cycle intervention, which focuses on the implementation of key interventions targeting each development stage of an individual (from pregnancy to elderly).

Mr Benoist Veillerette, Senior Policy Officer, FAO Strategic Programme 1, Mr Md. Shah Nawaz, Director General, Bangladesh National Nutrition Council (BNNC), and Mr M. Badrul Arefin, Director General, Food Planning and Monitoring Unit (FPMU), Ministry of Food, were the Guests of Honors and emphasized the importance of the CBA as a critical policy tool to provide valuable data on the benefit of interventions and to influence the decision-making process. It will also serve as a strong advocacy document to enhance the quantity and quality of investments directed towards meeting the expected targets of the CIP2.

The findings show that the life cycle intervention has the highest return on investment (28.5 USD return for 1 USD invested), while home gardening the lowest (2.6 USD for 1 USD). The balanced plate intervention, mola fish and rice fortification respectively showed a return on investment of 8.7 USD, 3.9 USD and 3.7 USD.

One of the main take-aways from the consultation as the way forward is the need to translate the final results into policy-oriented messages for decision-makers for effective CIP2 implementation.

MUCH is financially supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the European Union (EU). The project is aimed at strengthening the enabling environment for eradicating food insecurity and malnutrition in Bangladesh.