INTRA-HOUSEHOLD FOOD SECURITY STATUS AMONG ULTRA-POOR COMMUNITIES IN MYMENSINGH DISTRICT:

Abstract

Recent global agenda including Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) highlight the importance of addressing food security, especially among the ultra-poor communities at the intra-household level. Ensuring food security would continue to be a major challenge among South-Asian countries like Bangladesh. Although Bangladesh has achieved sufficiency in food production but food security is remaining a challenge in rural areas and some clusters in urban areas. This study was conducted to explore the household food security among the ultra-poor communities at Phulpur and Tarakanda upazilas of the Mymensingh district in Bangladesh. The sample size consisted of 150 households. The binary logistic regression model was used to determine the socio-economic factors influencing food security. The wife’s (primary female) education was found to be positively, while husband’s (household head) occupation was found to be negatively associated with the food security status of the selected households. Considering 1805 kcal, 56.7% of the sample households were food secure, and considering 2122 kcal, 42% were food secure. This study also revealed indicative disparities in food security within households. Policies should address these issues.