This IPC Acute Food Insecurity covers the four riverine districts in the Northern part of Bangladesh, namely Kurigram, Gaibandha, Sirajganj and Jamalpur. In total, 35% of the total population are classified in crisis (IPC Phase 3) and 13% in Emergency (IPC Phase 4) that is around 3559086 and 1336008 people, respectively.

Availability and Access: Most of the northern districts and upazilas (sub-districts) have a surplus in rice production, while they have deficits in fish, eggs, meat and milk production. This suggests that while the availability of staple food (rice) is not an issue, diversification of food production represents a big challenge. Seasonality in agricultural employment greatly affects income opportunities of day laborers and the extremely poor. This couples with high price of non-rice food items such as fish, meat, egg and so. Food access is therefore an important concern for a huge number of low income groups, especially the day laborers.

Utilization: Access to improved sanitation facilities and clean water sources is very poor for most of the Districts. As a result, the people living in the areas suffer from high prevalence of water borne disease and worm contamination above national average. Lack of awareness, poor knowledge on nutrition and hygiene practices, and inherent gender discrimination within both households and society are among the main determinants contributing to poor food utilization status.

Livelihood change: During the flooding, crop land and homesteads deluged with water and cause severe damage to standing crops. Small and marginal farmers and agricultural daily laborers lose their income and employment. Flood water brings huge silt and sands and cultivable lands lose its productivity because of thick sand accumulation.

Households affected by flooding in the same north–west region in September 2012 reported the adoption of the following coping strategies: distressed assets selling; migrating to non‐affected areas to find work opportunities; advance selling of labor; taking loans from NGOs and Mohajans (local moneylenders) and borrowing from relatives; reduction in meal frequency and size.

Analysis revealed that income opportunities may be greatly hampered due to the 2014 flooding and consequent river erosion. Fish production is also negatively affected. The crops, household water, and sanitation facilities are damaged, and people are fixing the immediate losses.

Child Malnutrition: The districts and upazilas analyzed structurally suffer from the alarming level of acute malnutrition, especially Char Rajibpur, Chilmari, Kurigram Sadar, Ulipur and Gaibandha Sadar. The current situation of acute malnutrition may further deteriorate since water and sanitation system damaged seriously. 

The main factors underlying food insecurity are:

• lack of diversification of food production
• high prices of non-rice food items such as fish, meat, egg 
• poor access to improved sanitation facilities and clean water sources
• lack of awareness, poor knowledge on nutrition and hygiene practices
• shocks due to flooding and consequent river erosion
• alarming level of acute child malnutrition

Recommendations for Next Steps for Analysis and Decision-Making

• Standardize and harmonize the data collected by different partners. The coordination mechanism should clearly identify and set the timing
• Disseminate information to policy makers for action